The Young, The Old And The Foolish
by minniemcmouse
Summary: Sometimes the loneliest place a person can be is surrounded by others and Remus knows this all too well. Can Harry be the first to get truly close to him? Slash HPRL
1. The Chasm

**Disclaimer:** If you recognise it then I don't own it. Sadly. All characters are property of the marvellous JK Rowling.

This is **Remus/Harry slash**. Don't like? Don't read!

* * *

The Young, The Old And The Foolish

Chapter One

It is frequently said that sometimes the loneliest you feel is whilst surrounded by people; those who do not understand you or choose to stay away from you. Or sometimes the loneliness from which you suffer is all down to yourself, because you do not need or want the company of other people. Society is simply the rest of the world banding together and you do not belong in it; you are not a part of it, by your own free will of course.

Remus Lupin stared dejectedly at the sofa opposite him as he observed Harry bounce down next to Sirius who promptly wrapped an arm around his shoulders. Tonks grinned at the addition of Harry's presence and leapt onto him, the three of them easily fitting on a two-seater sofa, sprawled over one another. Remus couldn't help the misery and the bitterness which engulfed him at the sight of three people so close to each other as they were. He could have been a strange part of that; he could have wrapped his arm around Harry or had Tonks leaning her head against his shoulder.

Couldn't he?

A wry smile touched Remus's lips slightly and he hid behind the book he held in his hands. His eyes stared at the words although they did not read or take in the information presented in the writing in front of him. He would have rather been with Harry, growing closer to him as Sirius was doing and making up for the time he had lost with him over many years. After all, they all had time now; they had the rest of their lives to relax and do what they wanted. The rest of their lives to grow increasingly attached to those with whom they fought the greatest war the Wizarding World had ever seen. Except that Remus couldn't do that. He was too afraid although he no longer knew of what.

His phobia of being physically close to other people had originated, he presumed, with the knowledge that he was a monster. The first day that he had realised he could seriously injure or kill another human being, or worse: that he could make them a monster just like himself. He wasn't worthy of being with anyone else, especially not being blessed with the most amazing company anyone could wish for, which he felt he had been. Remus was greatly attached to everyone who lived in Grimmauld Place, and there were more than a dozen of them, but none more so than Sirius and Harry. What he had done to deserve them he felt he would never know although he knew it must have been something wonderful. Sirius, along with James and Peter, had been the first to have to cope with his unusual fear of being close to or touched by anyone else. The fact that the other three were usually throwing themselves around each other chasing the Snitch on foot in the dorms didn't make things any easier for Remus, especially as he longed to join in.

Still, it hadn't been his place to do so, had it? He was the monster that could have torn them to shreds and, even after they accepted him, Remus had made a silent vow that he would never hurt them. It didn't matter to him that they had known what he was and they weren't afraid or hateful of him but he secretly felt he didn't deserve the casual touches that came so easily to other people. The others had questioned his odd behaviour only once in his presence and after that the subject had been dropped with him forever although Remus strongly suspected that they had talked of it greatly between themselves. It seemed odd to think that something which had originally begun as self-deprivation of physical closeness had slowly become something almost akin to a phobia and Remus just wasn't comfortable being particularly close to anyone. Sirius had understood that all those years ago and still did now.

No one else did though. Tonks thought him very strange indeed and most likely very cool and snobbish from the manner with which he always held himself so aloof and evaded her touches. Of course she had been attempting to date him for the better part of a year before Sirius put an end to Harry's confusion on the matter and told him, in no uncertain terms, that short of growing a penis she had absolutely no chance of being with Remus at all. Harry had laughed at that for a very long time. So had Remus for that matter. However, Tonks still remained in the dark on the matter and Remus still felt very insecure releasing that bit of information about himself to anyone. It was only after a very strong argument from Sirius that he had allowed him to tell Harry. Unfortunately this meant that Remus was still hounded on a regular basis by Tonks but Harry was usually there to bail him out.

Harry remained the enigma. Remus wasn't certain what Harry must feel about him although they frequently had long, uninterrupted conversations together over ridiculous amounts of tea on a vast variety of topics. Remus loved Harry's company and he was almost sure that Harry rather liked his as well; at least he often sought him out amongst the many other people in Grimmauld Place who he could have been spending time with. That always lifted Remus's spirits. What lowered them was Harry's expression of confusion at the winces from Remus when Harry so much as touched him on the shoulder. A metaphorical hand had been offered to him many a time from Harry to get out of the similarly metaphorical cocoon he had built around himself, but he had always been disappointed.

Harry sat close to Remus and Remus moved away slightly. If he stood too close then the same thing would happen. Remus fancied that he could almost see the pain in Harry's eyes during these moments and Merlin knew that Harry had had enough pain in his life already. There was no need for him to be adding more of it, not when he loved him so dearly.

Remus stared across the room again, his eyes travelling over the top of his unread book to Harry, Sirius and Tonks. Sirius and Tonks were beginning to argue over something, most likely which one of them was the better Beater, and Harry was listening and looking amused. His eyes flickered towards Remus on the opposite sofa in a way which suggested he had done so before and was just checking to see whether anything had changed since he last looked.

It had changed, although only just. Harry noticed Remus's eyes upon them instead of staring at the book he held in his hands. He hadn't turned a page in a very long time now and Harry wondered why he bothered to use it as an unnecessary shield to ineffectively hide the fact that he was lost in thought. He let it slide; after all, Remus seemed to be lost in thought a lot these days and if he wanted to talk about what was on his mind then surely he would do so without having to be prompted.

"Dinner's ready!" Molly's voice echoed through the house, magically amplified in order that all occupants of the house from the garden to the attic would be able to hear it. It worked well and a moment later Harry, Remus, Sirius, Tonks, Arthur, Bill, Charlie, Fred, George, Hermione, Fleur, McGonagall, Snape, Mad Eye and Kingsley were all seated in the dining room and Molly ran round them all, ensuring that everyone got as much as they needed. Although in some cases she made sure that they got more than they needed.

"A full house tonight," Molly said cheerfully when she eventually returned to her own seat and stared around at her large family, mostly adopted. She couldn't help but feel a pang at the two seats which remained untaken and at the thought of her youngest two children, lost to the war. Ron had died with dignity and bravery as he duelled to save Hermione. She was quickly surrounded by Death Eaters during battle and could not get out alone. Sadly she had escaped with her life, only to see her fiancé fall moments later.

He had been the last from the Order to fall and Ginny had been one of the first. She had not died with dignity whilst in the middle of bravely saving someone she loved. She had been careless and had taken a potion which would supposedly make her the object of all those who laid eyes on her. She had conveniently taken it whilst standing next to Harry and, as the poison slowly killed her, it had been he to chastise her for her foolishness. He had been less inclined to reprimand her behaviour once he found out that she was dead, not unconscious as he had first believed. The fact that his last words to her were: "It's not my fault you were stupid enough to drink a mysterious potion you found, is it?" didn't do much for his self-esteem.

The rest of the meal was conducted in silence from Molly as she contemplated the short lives of her children whilst lively conversation continued all around her and even Severus was seen to smile upon occasion.

Molly walked round and heaped more food onto the plates of Harry, Sirius and Severus, all of whom tried to prevent her from doing so and failed miserably. Her un-debatable excuses for force-feeding them being that Sirius was still very thin after his experience in Death before Remus dragged him back out and that Severus was in a similar state after being on the run from the very Order with whom he worked for the better part of a year before he was accepted back into the fold. Of course they had all argued at one point or another that all that had finished with Harry's striking down Voldemort after destroying the last of the Horcruxes almost a year ago now. That never stopped her however, and she usually piled yet more food onto Harry's plate after that particular reminder.

"If I'm going to be fed to death then you're coming down with me, Potter," Severus muttered to him before repeating the argument which had been used so frequently and, sure enough, Harry soon had more food than he'd had a moment before.

* * *

After dinner Remus returned to the lounge in which he'd been sat before and resumed reading the book he had hidden behind earlier on. It was not long before his peace was broken and Harry walked into the room, a book of his own in his hands. Immediately Remus noticed his mistake but it was too late to do anything which Harry would not notice and therefore, too late to do something which would not hurt his feelings excessively.

Remus was sitting in the middle of one of the sofas and, knowing Harry, he would choose to come and sit next to him instead of choosing to lie on one of the other sofas in the room. That would make it so that they were both very close together and therefore that would be very awkward for Remus with the strange illness that he had given himself.

Harry sat down next to him and it was as awful as Remus has predicted. He felt so cruel for doing it but at the same time he couldn't exactly stay sitting with Harry so close to him without wanting to shuffle away… He shrank back into the corner of the larger sofa which he had situated himself on and made the mistake of looking up. Into Harry's eyes.

Harry frowned slightly as Remus moved away from him, unable to conceal the hurt he felt at such a rejection, and a rejection it most certainly was. The man couldn't bear even to sit next to him! It was very puzzling, especially since Harry was beginning to feel that they were getting quite close with their long conversations and the fact that Harry felt he could tell Remus almost anything… But perhaps he had been mistaken.

Remus hated this. He hated that he had brought this on himself and he was strongly regretting the fact that he couldn't so much as touch another human being without feeling the sudden need to escape. He stared up at Harry and saw the flicker of pain before it was hidden behind an expressionless mask. He would never see anything through that, Remus knew; he had tried many a time to discern the smallest amount of information from Harry's countenance when he had looked in such a way but it had always been for nothing. It had to be acknowledged that Harry was, alarmingly, almost as good at hiding his feelings and squashing away himself as Severus and that was not a good thing. Not any longer.

Harry had curled his legs up at the other end of the sofa now, as far away from Remus as he could possibly be without moving and that would have been extremely rude, he knew that. He also knew that by doing so he would have acted in much the same manner as Remus but out of spite. Harry was aware that Remus probably didn't act the way he did for no particular reason and so by mimicking him so childishly it would ruin any chance he ever had of knowing just why the man did what he did…

Remus knew that Harry would never actually come out and say anything about the way he avoided touching him and being close to him at all costs, even though they seemed so emotionally close when they talked together. Still, even then that was usually conducted with the kitchen table between them or the space between two sofas. They were never actually close although often when they spoke together they felt it. The wretchedness that engulfed Remus as he stared at Harry for a moment was overwhelming. There was a space of little more than a foot between them but to Harry and Remus they felt it may as well have been a great chasm for the closeness they felt to the other.

Harry could not last long under the unusual silence which had enveloped them both. The awkwardness between them coupled with the unhappiness he felt at Remus's rejection all added up to an unbearable atmosphere. He was out of there within five minutes when he felt he could take it no longer.

"You know, even when wandering about looking like Christmas was cancelled, people often pay attention to where they're going," Sirius told Harry when he walked into the back of him. He found himself staring at his godfather who had clearly been plotting something or other; he was stood outside Snape's room and nothing good ever came of that. "What's wrong, kiddo?"

"Okay, firstly: the fact that you still call me 'kiddo' when I'm eighteen and secondly: Remus."

Sirius sighed. He knew that he was going to have to have this conversation with Harry at some point and it was probably overdue as it was. He just didn't like the fact that he was going to have to tell Harry that Remus would never be close to him; he was never close to anyone. In that respect he seemed almost like the complete opposite of Harry who was always close to someone and seemed insecure if he wasn't.

Harry found himself being lead into Sirius's room and Sirius sat down on the edge of his bed. Harry sat down next to him, tucking his feet up next to him and watching Sirius with interest as to what he was going to say concerning Remus.

The conversation was short but to the point and when Harry was left at the end of it so that Sirius could jump Snape when he left his room, he lay down on Sirius's amazingly soft bed and wondered whether Remus really pushed everyone away because he had originally felt that he was a monster. Sirius had made it very clear that the issue was not to be discussed with Remus except in the very unlikely event of Remus bringing it up himself but Harry had many questions and Sirius couldn't answer most of them. Maybe Remus wouldn't be able to either, Harry mused as he finally got up off the bed and wandered back downstairs in search of his book which he realised he had left in the lounge. With Remus.

Remus stared at Harry as he re-entered the room, presumably to get his book back after disappearing to who knows where for quite some time. The loneliness he had been feeling for a while now was threatening to take over and become a big issue for him as he watched Harry pick up his book. For a moment Remus feared that he would sit down next to him again and he would be pushed into the same previously unpleasant situation but the reality felt far worse. He watched glumly as Harry curled up on another sofa, as far away from him as it was possible to be. The warm smile which Harry bestowed upon him only seemed to make things more painful and Remus knew that without a doubt that Sirius had been talking to Harry about him.

The loneliness washed over him and the chasm reopened, wider than ever. Remus sighed inwardly, knowing that he had brought this upon himself and resolved then and there that things were going to change.


	2. Manipulation

**Disclaimer:** If you recognise it then I don't own it. Sadly. All characters are property of the marvellous JK Rowling.

**A/N: **Oooo, I've been getting reviews! That's very nice of you all and I've been reading and responding when I can via email (just so I'm not taking up unnecessary space on this chapter doing it). Anyway, it took me this long to update because I've been spending ages planning the entire story and I've planned it all. I think I got to twenty chapters with it but it may change slightly before the end.

This is **Remus/Harry slash**. Don't like? Don't read!

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Chapter Two

Remus resolved then and there that things were going to change. Harry didn't know it yet but he was about to become the first person that Remus Lupin had ever voluntarily become physically close to. Not in a sexual sense, Remus scolded himself as his mind made the leap from 'physical' to 'sexual' and felt his face become a little warmer at the unbidden thought.

He watched Harry surreptitiously, hoping that Harry wouldn't be able to sense his eyes upon him, as he wondered how best to get closer to Harry. Remus questioned whether Sirius telling Harry about him would make things easier or harder for him in the long run but dismissed it; this was Harry he was talking about. Harry had spent a lot of time trying to get closer to him and Remus had constantly pushed him away until neither of them could take any more. Surely he would accept Remus if he was so desperate to become close to someone and he, Harry, was his chosen object. After all, everyone else was close to Harry and he felt distinctly cut off from him simply because he couldn't do as they did.

Harry's eyes met his for a moment and Remus felt a slight flutter of anticipation in his stomach. Could he really do this? Harry smiled warmly at him and Remus knew he couldn't keep hurting him. He rose to his feet and walked over to Harry.

"I thought you didn't do the whole 'close to people' thing?" Harry asked when Remus sat down next to him and winced at his own words. Sirius had _just_ told him not to mention it. "Ignore me; I'm an idiot."

"No you're not," Remus told him, smiling slightly at Harry's current sense of unease after most likely being told quite explicitly that Remus was never close to anyone and never had been. The thought was an unhappy one, one which he was soon to remedy. Hopefully, "and I don't usually do the 'close to people' thing, as you so aptly called it. I just…" He trailed off and Harry was left watching him in interest. This was certainly a new development.

"You just what?" Harry prompted when Remus didn't pick up his sentence again. He wanted to reach out to the man and press his hand comfortingly over his but under the circumstances Harry didn't think that would go down very well.

"I'm just tired of being alone and I see you with Sirius and I think that I want to be like that with you but… I can't," Remus managed to say whilst he kept his eyes away from Harry and stared into the fire in the grate.

"Yes you can. It's just a matter of how much you want it," Harry told him confidently. Confident and usually correct advice was something Harry was getting better at. He seemed to be the one Tonks came to the most when she needed advice, mostly because Remus would always be nice but not necessarily truthful in a bid to save her feelings and Sirius would always laugh at her. Harry was the only one from whom she could get any real honesty.

"A lot," muttered Remus and Harry smiled slightly, the action caught in the corner of Remus's eye before he turned back from the flames to Harry. "Can I be like that with you?"

"I don't know. Can you?" Harry asked him and Remus wondered just that himself. Had he left it too long now so that he could never be close to another person again without feeling uneasy or could Harry honestly help him?

"I hope so," Remus sighed and leant back into the sofa, suddenly feeling very desirous of a hug and to be wrapped in someone else's arms. Harry reached forwards and squeezed Remus's hand gently with his own. He wondered whether he was being a little too hasty by doing such a thing with Remus so soon but they had to start somewhere. He let go of his hand after a moment and got up to leave; there was still the matter of Snape walking around the house feeling thoroughly pleased with himself after foreseeing and reversing Sirius's prank upon him. Such behaviour could not go without some retribution.

"I'm going to go attack Snape for a while, I take it you're not interested in joining me?" Remus shook his head and Harry tried to look shocked and disappointed but failed on both counts. "Okay, I'll talk to you later then."

Another brief smile and a slight touch to Remus's shoulder and he was gone, leaving Remus feeling quite warm on the sofa on his own. He felt happy, he realised, for the first time in quite a while. He could be close to someone… he could be close to _Harry_. He could be just like everyone else and curl up next to another person without wanting to go and find a secluded area of the house all for himself. For once, things might go quite well for him.

* * *

A pair of arms grabbed Harry from behind, one of them covering his mouth as he was pulled backwards and under his own invisibility cloak. A kiss was pressed to his temple and Harry scowled as he spun round to face his assailant. He wasn't particularly surprised to find Sirius, but that still didn't mean that he enjoyed being attacked in his own house.

"Smile, gorgeous, you've officially joined the Snape Hunt." Sirius flashed him a smile and wrapped his arms round him. "Plus, you have the added joy of being with me. Tonks is sulking because she's on her own and I got to you first."

"How lovely to know," Harry said, pulling a face and tried to free himself from Sirius's grasp. He knew that whatever plan he and Tonks had made together was very unlikely to work on the highly intelligent and extremely cautious man. It was beginning to be said around the house that he was becoming very like Mad Eye. Mad Eye himself said that he wasn't nearly cautious enough to be considered as such and suggested a magical eye to Severus. He didn't take the suggestion well.

Harry slipped into his Animagus form and, before Sirius could do a thing, he was racing off down the landing and to the stairs. The small, black wolf didn't hear the giant dog coming up behind him, and the giant dog was unable to stop before it was too late. It was for this reason that Remus found himself bowled off his feet at the foot of the stairs by a dog and a rather small wolf. He wasn't spectacularly pleased. Sirius seemed more disappointed than anything however and went on to plotting something similar in which Severus was at the bottom of the stairs and the whole incident was intentional.

Remus smiled proudly down at the little wolf as it pounced about and licked his face. Remus pulled a face and pushed Harry away and a moment later found himself flat on his back with Harry sat on his chest and his neck being nuzzled and tickled by the young wolf. Sirius laughed as he turned back into himself and wandered off with the Invisibility Cloak, clearly having given up on Harry and Snape for the time being. Remus was left alone on the floor with the energetic wolf bounding about him, his mind wandering back over things such as Harry's first transformation with McGonagall and the image of his own Patronus imprinted in his mind.

It was a shame that Harry had been forced to learn to become an Animagus from McGonagall since his own godfather had mastered it but he was a rather poor teacher. Sirius always felt disappointed in Harry when he didn't manage to transform and it showed. Naturally that hadn't helped Harry and in the end both had given up with the other.

Throughout all their trials and tribulations concerning the Animagus transformation and Harry, Remus had watched the little wolf, his Patronus, wandering around the room whilst Harry had attempted time and time again to become it. Until finally it had happened. He had always assumed that the little wolf Patronus he had was because he was a werewolf; it was only when he saw Harry transform that he realised the mistake he had made and felt warmth fill him at the sight.

"Interesting, hey?" Harry asked Remus, jolting him out of his reverie.

"What is?"

"The fact that you would let me leap all over you when I'm a wolf but if I tried that now you'd never let me near you again," Harry explained. "Clearly your problem is with the human form as much anything, not the people concerned."

"That is interesting," Remus said as he led Harry off towards the lounge where they had been before, "although I'd rather you didn't lick my face again."

* * *

"So what do you reckon?" Harry asked as he glanced covertly at Tonks, who in turn was doing the same to Remus. Harry realised suddenly how odd it must look to an outsider and stopped looking at her, turning back to Sirius who was grinning inanely.

"I reckon that if she was any further head over heels she'd be the right way up again," he replied and Harry struggled for a moment with odd images of Tonks spinning slowly in the air before snapping out of it and turning back to his godfather.

"You're going to set them up, aren't you?" Harry muttered as Remus got up and moved closer to them. Sirius only grinned wider and Harry was now certain that Remus was going to be in for a very unfortunate time. Sirius was almost certainly going to make them date, whether they wanted to or not and Harry was fully aware of the fact that Remus was gay. Tonks still wasn't. "You do remember the fact that Remus is gay, right?" Harry muttered to Sirius.

"Ah you know Remus," Sirius replied mildly. "He won't hurt her, especially if I push them into it."

"You're bloody awful, you know that?"

Ten minutes later Sirius had managed to twist the situation entirely to his advantage and was standing outside in the hallway with Remus, Tonks and Harry. Their conversation was light and casual but Harry knew that somehow Sirius was orchestrating the whole thing. He had never known that his godfather could be so manipulative. He was definitely going to be watching where their conversations were steered in future.

Sirius laughed and rolled his eyes. "And when was the last time _you_ went on a date, Tonks?"

"Oh shush, I haven't been out in a while, so what? It's not like I'm the only one who hasn't!" She glanced purposefully at Remus at this point. Only Harry seemed to notice the way Sirius's eyes lit up and knew for certain that this was the point he had been pushing the conversation to all along.

"Well why don't you both go out together?" Sirius asked slyly. "Since neither of you have been out in so long then surely a date together would be of some benefit?"

"I—I…" Remus stammered and Harry felt very sorry for him. Not quite sorry enough to stop things from going any further though.

"I think that's a brilliant idea!" Tonks said brightly and turned to Remus looking very enthusiastic. Harry didn't think that he would be able to resist the look of joy at the idea if it had been directed at him. Sure enough, Remus didn't think that he could either. He wasn't pleased by the way he knew Sirius had set this up, nor was he too impressed with the way Harry had failed to get him out of the mess entirely. He felt sure Harry had known where things were going and had done nothing for him.

"What do you say, Remus?" Sirius asked and Remus gave him one of the coldest looks he had ever seen. Sirius's smile only widened. Harry gave his hand a slight squeeze next to him but it wasn't going to get him out of this mess.

"Do I have much of a choice?" Remus asked grimly.

"Not in the slightest!" Tonks grinned, oblivious to the reluctance on her date's face. "Where do you want to go?"

"Anywhere…" Remus sighed.

"As long as he's with you," Sirius added for him. Needless to say, Remus wasn't particularly pleased with this addition and he began to wonder just why he hadn't told Tonks he was gay. It would certainly make things a hell of a lot easier on him, but then again he'd have to tell someone a very personal piece of information about himself and he'd never enjoyed doing that. He kept his mouth shut and decided to go along. He really hadn't been out in a while, it might be somewhat enjoyable.

"Now be off with you!" Sirius said and Remus stared.

"Sorry…? You expect me to venture into public like this?" Remus asked, glancing down at his robes.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Are you under the possession of a wand or not?" He waved his wand over Remus and made him instantly more presentable.

"Are these your robes?" Remus asked him in disbelief. "I cannot believe you put me in your robes! Do you know what—"

He was cut off as Sirius pushed the two of them out through the door that Harry had not seen him open. The door slammed shut and they could still hear Remus ranting at Sirius though the door. There was silence and murmurs on the outside followed by two cracks.

"He hates you," Harry said bluntly and Sirius laughed before wrapping an arm round his shoulders and leading him away towards the lounge where the rest of the Order would be relaxing and complaining.

"He'll get over it, he always does!"


	3. Worst Date Ever

**Disclaimer:** If you recognise it then I don't own it. Sadly. All characters are property of the marvellous JK Rowling.

This is **Remus/Harry slash**. Don't like? Don't read! (For those of you reading my Sirius/Harry, I just couldn't resist slipping 'La Café Romantique' back in there. The idea of an amusingly fake French restaurant/cafe amuses me for some reason...)

* * *

Chapter Three

Remus sank back into the sofa and pressed his hands over his eyes. He was just glad to be back inside Grimmauld Place and not in the company of Tonks. After one evening alone with her he wondered how anyone could possibly think that they would make a good match together. She was just so… opposite. Remus didn't know how other people thought but to him opposites certainly weren't attractive.

He wanted to batter Sirius, or at the very least give him a good hexing for not only having the nerve to send him out of the house on a date but on a date with a woman. Not any woman either, but Tonks! He waved his wand over himself quickly when he realized that he was still wearing Sirius's robes that the owner of which had magicked him into earlier on. If Sirius so much as dared to show his face in the same room as him in the next few hours Remus wouldn't be held responsible for what happened.

The door opened.

"Ah, so the date went well then?" Harry asked cheerfully as he walked in to find Remus on the sofa wearing an infuriated expression and his own robes again. His wand was pointed at Harry's chest.

"I'm not even going to dignify that with an answer…" Remus threw himself backwards into the sofa and wondered whether Harry would take well to being hexed. He had expected the intruder to come and sit with him but he hovered indecisively in the doorway. Remus turned to look at him.

"I'll leave you to fume then, shall I?" Harry asked and Remus found himself shaking his head. He did want to be alone but he didn't want to push Harry away. What he _really_ needed was to do some hexing on the idiot who had got him into the most horrific situation in the first place. For some reason Sirius appeared to be avoiding him though.

"No, you can stay."

"So generous." Harry smiled and Remus found himself smiling slightly in return. "Care to tell me why Sirius is still in one piece after that stunt earlier then?"

"Well I've not seen him yet. He appears to be avoiding me," Remus said coolly and then added, "Although I can't for the life in me fathom why that would be."

"Perhaps he values his life?" Harry suggested.

"He can't do for trying that on me," Remus muttered darkly but he didn't feel as infuriated as he had done before. He glanced at Harry who was watching him and smiling brightly. Remus didn't know how Harry could possibly be so cheerful, but then again he hadn't been the one on a horrific date, had he?

"So… what happened?" Harry asked after some time. Remus gave him a cool look which then softened.

"It was awful."

"How so?"

"Well Tonks is just… Tonks," Remus sighed. "You know that café you and Sirius went to the other day and laughed so hard at the person singing that you were thrown out?"

"_La Café Romantique_?" Harry asked with a slight grin on his features. "Oh god… you didn't!"

"Sadly we did. Tonks dragged me in there and I was close to laughing myself actually," Remus admitted. "Tonks tripped over three times before we got anywhere near our table and landed in the lap of—" Remus broke off and began to laugh.

Harry stared at him impatiently and when Remus continued to laugh he jabbed him in the side. "Landed in whose lap? You can't just leave it there!"

"Cornelius Fudge!" Remus managed to choke out and Harry could only stare in disbelief.

"I don't believe it…" Harry told him, knowing at the same time that Remus was unlikely to lie about something like that.

"You better believe it! Fudge pushed her off and onto the floor," Remus explained and then sighed.

"Do I really want to know what happened next?"

"Oh yes! Well she grabbed the table cloth and soup went everywhere. Mostly on her head and on Fudge's trousers," Remus laughed. "Fudge had his wand out in an instant and started throwing hexes at her."

"Remus, there is no way in hell that—"

"Read the _Prophet_ tomorrow. I'd be willing to bet good money that it's on the front page, and I don't have good money to bet!"

There was a moment of silence as Harry stared at Remus for a while longer until he began to laugh. Remus joined in and it felt like the worst date he'd ever had in his life managed to pale in significance. He could only hope now that he wouldn't be mentioned in the article the next day. It was his luck that Fudge had been out with Rita Skeeter.

"That has to be the worst date that I've ever heard of," Harry smiled as he curled up closer to Remus and leant against his shoulder. He felt the man tense against him before he relaxed and felt glad of Harry's presence at his side. Remus honestly couldn't remember the last person he had let be so physically close to him and he could barely remember why he'd become so aloof anyway…

Harry realised suddenly that the story probably didn't end there. They had been out quite some time. "So what happened then?"

"I was hoping you'd overlook the fact that only took up about ten minutes of time…" Remus sighed. "Okay, so all the waiters suddenly crowded round, Fudge was being restrained, Tonks was already back on her feet, falling over and generally shouting and screaming at everyone."

"You left her?" Harry asked shrewdly.

"I was on a date I didn't want to be on, Tonks looked like she was about to be arrested whilst Rita Skeeter's photographer leapt out of nowhere and started taking pictures of everything, even the cutlery for Merlin's sake!" Remus said and began to laugh again despite himself.

"So you just left in the middle of the fight scene and ran out into Diagon Alley," Harry filled in for him.

"Yes but I'm telling you what happened, not vice versa," Remus reminded him. "I just drifted away down the street. Most of the shops were closed except for the restaurants anyway and I had no idea there were so many!"

"I know, and there must be about four bars on that street," Harry added.

Remus raised an eyebrow. "And just how do you know?"

"Well I used to work for Tonks in her bar before she sold up and I'm sure Sirius and I have been to all of them by now anyway," Harry told him. "I just have to have a few concealment charms on when we go in else I don't get served and get gawped at instead."

"You're technically not old enough to drink yet," Remus said lightly.

"I'm what – two months? – away from being old enough. I don't see why you're still bothered!"

"I'm not really, I just don't like the idea of you drinking," Remus admitted.

"You know I don't like to drink that much anyway… I'm just a social drinker," Harry said, although going to bars with Sirius every now and again probably didn't work in his favour. "Anyway, what happened to you then?"

"You changed the topic, not me…" Remus said before going back to his tale. "Well I wandered away and there was shattering of glass. I turned round to see Tonks leaping through the giant plate glass window of the café."

"No way…"

"Yes way, now stop interrupting me!" Remus cried, sounding quite exasperated.

"We're going to see that shop tomorrow… I want to see what state it's in after all this."

"Fine. So Tonks leapt through the window, followed by five waiters, a waitress, two of the kitchen staff, four intrigued customers, Fudge, Skeeter, her photographer and two junior Aurors," Remus counted them off on his fingers. "Needless to say, I didn't want to get involved in that mess so I just sort of slipped into the shadows whist Tonks ran down the street followed by about sixteen other people."

"Why the hell didn't she just Apparate!" Harry asked with an incredulous smile on his face. Remus wondered whether Harry's mental images of the scene came anywhere near to the real thing.

"Christ knows!" Remus laughed realising just how ridiculous the whole scenario must seem. "That's pretty much it really. Tonks ran about Diagon Alley and into god knows how many other Alleys for about an hour trying to lose everyone on her tail. I think she was looking for me most of the time to be honest."

"Remus, this is the most ridiculous tale I've ever heard," Harry told him plainly. "Either you're a very good liar or Tonks is somewhere being stitched up."

"She's in the kitchen with Molly now," Remus clarified. "She kept falling over things so she's all cut up, not to mention that after leaping through a window she's hardly in great shape."

Harry laughed. "So how did she get out of there then?"

"I took pity on her and pulled her down a little alleyway when she ran past me," Remus told him. "I just Apparated us both back here and that's it – the most disastrous date ever. We never even sat down in the restaurant!"

"Just be grateful – it could have been worse," Harry smiled as Remus wrapped an arm around his shoulders and pulled him closer. Harry didn't complain and snuggled up to him. They hadn't been working on getting closer for long but it was clear that with the right motivation Remus could easily overcome his demons.

"How the hell could it have been any worse?" Remus demanded incredulously. "The next time she ventures out into public she'll be arrested!"

"At least you can't be forced on dates with her if she's in prison," Harry said cheerfully. "Besides, you could have been dragged down onto Fudge with her. You'd have been almost arrested then as well, probably."

"True," Remus agreed, a smile crossing his tired features. "I suppose I ought to be grateful then…"

"Don't roll your eyes at me," Harry said without looking up at him and Remus laughed. Silence followed, stretching out comfortably between them as they savoured the presence of the other.

Remus found himself staring down at Harry, studying his face in the firelight. His eyes wandering down over the scar on his forehead, along the bridge of his nose and further. Remus's gaze traced the contours of Harry's lips, a slight smile curving them still.

A tickle of Harry's hair against Remus's cheek made him pull back sharply, not that he had even realised he'd been leaning in towards him until then. His heart was racing along with his mind and Harry turned to look up at him.

"What's wrong…?"

"Nothing. I'm just tired and dreading what the papers will bring tomorrow," Remus lied, knowing that he'd been seen through before he'd spoken more than a couple of words.

Harry watched him but it was clear that whatever was bothering Remus wasn't going to come out, at least not that evening. He pressed closer to the man, leaving no space between them and feeling the fluttering of Remus's heartbeat through his robes. He felt sure he could get the troubles out of the man before long, it was just a matter of time.

Remus stared down at Harry and swallowed hard. He'd been leaning in towards him, towards his lips. A slight shiver passed through him at the thought and he wanted nothing more than to run and hide alone somewhere to figure things out.

Was he attracted to Harry?

Okay, stupid question; anything with a pulse was attracted to the boy.He ran his eyes over Harry's face, taking care to avoid lingering on his lips again.

The door burst open and Remus tensed, feeling guilty, as if he'd been caught doing something he shouldn't. Sirius walked in followed by Tonks, Kingsley, Molly and Minerva.

Harry stared at Tonks, noticing the bandage around one of her wrists and the pink on her face where cuts were healing. He didn't notice the raised eyebrows from Minerva and Sirius when they saw how close he was to Remus and the way that the latter's arm was draped around him. It didn't strike him as odd for a moment that he had been curled up with Remus in the firelight, but it struck the others as such.

The raised eyebrows and the slight murmurs of surprise were not lost on Remus and he squirmed slightly in his seat, wondering how he was being perceived. He was saved from commenting however by Sirius.

"So, what exactly happened to you?" Sirius grinned widely as he turned to Tonks. "Spare us no details!"


	4. Not Silver

**Disclaimer:** If you recognise it then I don't own it. Sadly. All characters are property of the marvellous JK Rowling.

This is **Remus/Harry slash**. Don't like? Don't read!

I'm still getting along to responding via email to some of the longer reviews. Well, the ones that say a bit more than 'great, update soon' or things like that. Thanks for your feedback – it's always appreciated!

* * *

Chapter Four

"Why Harry? That's what I don't understand," Tonks said almost bitterly when Harry, Remus and Sirius left the room some time later. They had been talking mostly of them and neither Harry nor Remus enjoyed being the subject of conversation.

"Tonks, I really don't think that Remus is interested in you so would you just let it go!" Kingsley sighed from across the room. It was clear from the expressions worn by those in the room that they were mostly of the same opinion.

"Maybe Remus is interested in someone else," Bill suggested.

"Such as…?" Tonks snapped. She sounded ready to go for the throat of anyone who so much as dared to look at Remus.

"Oh, I don't know…" Severus said with a slightly malicious glint in his eye. "Potter perhaps?"

"You think that Remus likes Harry!" Tonks gasped in horror and leapt to her feet. Kingsley and Charlie instantly did the same to prevent her charging out of the room and beating Harry to a pulp.

"I am sure that is not the case," Minerva reassured her from behind a book. In actuality she was beginning to wonder about Remus's odd choice in who became close to him. It was very interesting indeed…

On the other side of the room Tonks was still trying to get out of the door just to 'observe them together' as she repeatedly told them. Kingsley and Charlie were restraining her, but only just and it took a dramatic sigh and a full-body bind from Severus to still her again.

"Did you really have to do that?" Minerva asked him and Severus merely shrugged.

"It was easier than watching those idiots trying to pull her back from the door," he said simply, "although I would love to see her slap Potter."

It appeared that he was not the only one; on the other side of the wall in the kitchen sat Sirius, Remus and Harry. Sirius was laughing still at the events of the evening whilst Remus did not look pleased in the slightest. Between the two was Harry, who tried to maintain a slight smile but not succumb to the hysterics that Sirius was wont to.

"I would love to see her slap Harry," Sirius grinned and Remus raised an eyebrow.

"Why the hell would she do that?" Remus asked sounding slightly exasperated with the conversation. He moodily stirred his mug of hot chocolate as it rested on the table. Glancing sideways at Harry, he could see the slightest hint of scepticism combined with intrigue. Surely he wouldn't think that Tonks would slap him for something that neither of them were aware of?

"She thinks you and Harry are going out," Sirius smirked and Remus's mouth fell open.

"She what?" Remus choked, sounding aghast. "Why on earth would she ever think that?"

"I have no idea," Sirius said mildly in a tone that strongly implied that he knew perfectly well. He glanced at the other two who stared at him as if he was out of his mind. Come to think of it, he may well have been but that wasn't the current point. Remus looked almost horror-struck at the idea of his dating Harry whilst the boy in question appeared unsurprised although Sirius was sure he was hiding some kind of secret shock under his calm visage.

"Sirius…" Harry threatened, only causing his godfather to smile and revel in the fact that he had all the power for one small portion of their conversation.

"Well I suppose that if Sirius doesn't have anything to say to us then we can go elsewhere and have that game of chess you promised me earlier," Remus said with a slight smile to Harry as he rose from his seat.

Harry followed his lead. "Talk to you later then, Sirius."

"Hey, _hey!_ Get back here, you two!" Sirius snapped when Remus and Harry were halfway through the doorway. "Fine! Tonks is jealous because you're getting close to Harry and not her."

"Really? That's the only reason she'd think we were going out?" Harry asked as he returned to the kitchen table followed by Remus.

"It's quite a good reason," Sirius told him as Remus went back to stirring his hot chocolate and staring into it as if it held the answer to getting Tonks out of his life. "After all, Moony's never close to anyone like that. He just doesn't do the whole physically close thing."

"I'm right here, Sirius," Remus reminded him. Harry smiled and rested a hand on his forearm.

Sirius's eyes widened and he pointed at Harry. "See!" he exclaimed. "If anyone else had touched his arm like that he'd have pulled back as if your hands were made of silver."

"Well perhaps I've found someone whose hands are not silver," Remus scowled and walked out of the room, taking his hot chocolate with him.

"What did I say?" Sirius grinned and Harry shook his head in disbelief.

"I don't understand how the two of you can still be friends after everything you do," Harry said, smiling slightly. "If I was Remus then I'd have found a better friend years ago."

"Ah he loves me really, although I don't really know why either," Sirius said with a slightly amused expression on his face. Remus's parting words were still running in his head slightly. There was something about the way he said it that made him wonder… "Anyway, I'm going to annoy the hell out of Snape, you coming?"

"I'll pass," Harry replied just as Sirius had known he would. He wanted the opinion of others at this moment in time and without Harry's presence.

Sirius walked to the door and reached out, his fingers curling round the doorknob. He turned back to Harry for a brief moment with an odd look on his face. "Remus needs to be close to someone. Don't hurt him, will you?"

And with that he was gone, leaving one very confused Harry Potter sat alone in the kitchen. His own hot chocolate had been drained entirely and he set his cup in the sink before wandering off elsewhere except the lounge; he didn't want to get caught in the crossfire between Snape and Sirius again.

* * *

"I'm not pleased that all we're talking about recently is Lupin," Snape snarled at dinner the next evening whilst Tonks went on a miniature rant about the injustice of love. 

"We are…?" Remus asked feeling very uncertain of himself. What had they all been saying about him recently that he had no knowledge of? He didn't like the sound of that, not one bit.

"Well obviously you're not constantly talking about yourself," Sirius grinned as he subtly flicked marmite onto Snape's robes. "Everyone else loves to talk about you though."

Remus glanced at Harry who merely shrugged; he hadn't any knowledge of constant talking about Remus. That he was unaware of it was probably a bad thing though. It meant that he would also have been the subject of conversation except for the brief occasions when Remus and Tonks were the topic.

"I'm serious! That mutt, the miniature mutt and the changing fool are all people talk about in this house!" Snape scowled as he stared down at the marmite on his robes. "Black! What the hell do you think you are doing!"

"… some people just can't recognise love when they see it!" Tonks sighed and looked suitably distraught.

Remus gave up pretending to eat and left the room. He turned just in time to see the kitchen door open again behind him and Harry walked out towards him.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked him and Remus sighed, a slight smile forming despite himself. He ran his eyes over the young man he was with and opened his mouth to reply when Tonks burst angrily through the door and pressed her wand tip to Harry's throat.

"Tonks! Are you out of your mind!" Remus gaped as Tonks turned Harry round and shoved him back into the kitchen, slamming the door shut behind her. Laughter greeted Remus's sensitive ears from the other side of the door and he dimly made out Sirius's voice mocking Tonks.

"Come on, you and I are going to talk," Tonks said firmly and dragged Remus into the next room, locking the door firmly once they were both inside.

"There is nothing to talk about, Tonks!" Remus almost shouted, well aware that about half a dozen pairs of Extendable Ears would be in use in the kitchen.

"Yes there is!" Tonks snarled and leapt to her feet, towering over Remus who was sat calmly in his seat. He knew her game; she was trying to gain a psychological advantage from her height and her demeanour. She would get neither that nor Remus's respect and admiration from this feat. "I don't know what you're trying to do but I love you, Remus!"

"Tonks…" Remus began but gave up when she cast him an indignant look upon his interruption. He would let her talk and then he might just tell her that he was gay, if she still refused to get the message that was.

"Look, and I know that maybe you don't love me but just give me a chance," she pleaded with him and Remus smiled inwardly at her use of 'maybe'. "I love you and I mean that, I just want you to love me too."

"I'm sorry Tonks, really I am," Remus sighed and Tonks cast him a furious look without even bothering to hear him out. She moved towards the door and Remus shook his head at her in disbelief. "You know, the best way to make someone listen to you would be to listen to them too."

She had already reached the door by the time he had finished but Remus knew that Tonks had heard everything that he said. He hadn't meant to hurt her, if he had, although it was only due to herself. Remus couldn't possibly love her back; it was physically impossible and as Tonks faded from his mind it was replaced by Harry. He had come to him first and he had wanted to talk but Tonks had quickly removed that object from her path… damned girl. Why couldn't she get out of the way of Remus and the one person he wanted to be near?

Remus swallowed thickly and tried not to think of the implications that his mind was making. He wanted to be close to Harry, that much was certain, but how close he really didn't know. It wasn't as if he had a choice in the matter anyway; he could only be so physically close to someone, even Harry, without wanting to run and he blamed himself for that so much.

"Rem?" A cautious voice accompanied the light hand on his shoulder and Remus smiled inwardly at the abbreviated version of his name. "What was that all about?"

"Grr… She is just so ridiculous and so immature!" Remus snapped suddenly and got to his feet. He began pacing the room and Harry let him, curling up where Remus had been before. "I mean she just refused to hear me out entirely and just tried to force her opinion on me! As if I'd be remotely interested in someone who thinks they can just gain a psychological advantage over me by standing up and then attempting the weakest form of emotional blackmail I've ever seen!"

"Remus…?" Harry said carefully as he rose to his feet. Remus was clearly not too pleased about that which had just transpired and Harry didn't want to make him any more irritated than he already was.

Remus spun round to see Harry watching him warily with the slightest hint of amusement in his countenance. He wondered for a brief instant whether the sets of Extendable Ears were still in use in the next room. He asked Harry just that.

"Probably, but all they'll hear is Tonks awful singing that I recorded from her screeching in the shower yesterday," Harry told Remus matter-of-factly whilst twirling his wand idly through his fingers. "Mad Eye was teaching me various spells for secrecy the other day – I think he wants me to follow in his footsteps."

"I doubt that – he makes sure he erases all his footsteps with a complex combination of spells," Remus smiled lightly. "However, he has taken quite a liking to you, I must say." _And he's not the only one who has..._

Harry walked closer to him as Remus looked ready to go after Tonks wielding his wand and shouting insults. "You're not really that bothered about what she says, are you?" Harry asked.

"Of course I am! It's her fault that I was featured in the Prophet this morning," Remus said coolly, reminding Harry of their disastrous date being covered in the newspaper that day. "Not to mention her ridiculous level of immaturity, her…"

"Okay," Harry said quickly before Remus could reel off the list of reasons he was currently displeased with Tonks again. "Your photographic self did a brilliant job of keeping out of the picture though, wouldn't you agree?"

Remus couldn't help but smile. "I do, I only saw myself once throughout the whole article."

"And Rita Skeeter didn't manage to find out your name either so you're the nameless, faceless man who was fool enough to take Tonks on a date to the most awful restaurant in London," Harry said reassuringly, although towards the end he may have become rather more insulting.

"Hey! _She_ dragged _me_ into that god-awful place!" Remus retorted and Harry merely smiled. "She did!"

"Yeah, I know," Harry admitted. "Feel better now?"

Remus stared at him for a moment and then nodded dumbly. He really did. Not that he ever thought he'd know how Harry had cheered him though.

"Thanks," Remus managed and Harry stepped forwards to him, wrapping him in a light embrace for a moment. Remus froze and then melted into his touch, just as he always did when they became ever so slightly more intimate.

Not for the first time, Remus began to wonder just how far this would go. He was almost as close to Harry as Tonks and Sirius were now (well maybe more than Tonks by this point) so when would they stop? He felt that he could easily carry on becoming more intimate with Harry until… until what? Until they were stealing kisses in the corners of that formidable house? Until they were running off on dates together? (steering clear of _La Café Romantique,_ of course!) Where was the line and did Remus really want to draw it yet?

"Care to plot crazy schemes against Tonks?" Harry asked when he finally pulled away. Remus smiled although he was against practical jokes in principal.

"Why not?" Remus agreed as he allowed himself to be led back to the sofa by Harry and the two curled up together in the warmth of the fire and, as Harry had suggested, created various bizarre and ridiculous means of revenge against one unsuspecting Tonks.

"I know what we can do!" Harry said around three hours later. Their topics had wavered between revenge, the disastrous date, the Prophet, revenge,themselves and revenge. The conversation had returned to revenge once more.

"Oh God, do I really want to hear this one?" Remus asked with amusement tinged in his voice. "Go on then…"

"We can pretend that we've gone forwards in time and it's now five years in the future or something and she can be married to Snape!" Harry said and Remus stared at him in disbelief.

"Right, and you're going to persuade her that she's married to Snape, how!" Remus demanded as he conjured more hot chocolate for both of them. Since Honeydukes had brought out their own version of the Muggle drink they had practically been inhaling the drink.

"We just tell her that she's lost her memory and we could change the entire house round slightly so that it looks more like it would if they were married and in the future," Harry grinned. Remus watched him with a smile as he watched Harry plotting out more and more elaborate plans off the top of his head. "We could write our own version of the Prophet and hand that to her so we could change what she thought was happening in the world and get the rest of the house to go along with it and see if she and Snape actually fell in love!"

Remus was laughing aloud by this point. "This is the most ridiculous plan that you've ever had, Harry!"

"Ah come on, you know you love it!" Harry said, flashing him a smile. "And we could stick everyone in the house into the most unlikely pairings and see whether she went for it or not."

"I'm intrigued – who goes with whom in your unlikely pairings?"

"I dunno… me with Sirius or someone else suitably cringe-worthy, and you can be with Hermione—" Harry was saying.

"Somehow, I doubt that even Tonks would go for me being with Hermione," Remus joked.

"She doesn't know that you're gay, does she?" Harry reminded him.

"True, although I think she's getting dangerously near the mark, what with Sirius adding to the rumours that we're dating," Remus sighed and rolled his eyes. He was suddenly very desirous of asking Harry what his own sexual preferences were but that could only make the situation awkward and as far as he knew he could only assume that Harry was straight.

"I can't see us spending three hours in a locked room with a cover of Tonks singing inside it as helping the situation then," Harry laughed as he glanced at his watch and Remus looked amazed.

"Three hours? It's never been that long…" he gasped and then looked at Harry strangely. "Locked room?"

Harry looked slightly awkward as he chewed his bottom lip. Remus realised that once again they were in the same position as they had been in the day before when he had almost kissed Harry. He had just leant down towards him and he had been so close before he realised what he was doing. Suddenly they seemed far too intimate for Remus and he feared doing something that he might later regret.

"Well when I came in I didn't want Tonks coming back and irritating you even more so I locked the door," Harry admitted. "I just forgot to unlock the door again. I suppose that explains why no one's disturbed us."

He laughed and rose to open the door. Remus smiled as he curled up in the space that Harry had left. Three hours had passed since Tonks had gone and Remus would never be able to believe it. Time had gone so fast when he was left with Harry and the darkening sky in the background. With the light of the magical fire and it's warmth they hadn't even noticed as the sun had dipped beneath the horizon and darkness had surrounded them.

That night both Remus and Harry lay in their separate beds pondering the mystery that was their growing relationship as sleep took them and their dreams took control.

**

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**

**A/N:** Okay, so I couldn't resist the allusion to my HP/SB (the ridiculous plot against Tonks…) but things are picking up! I've worked it all out and there should be exactly twenty chapters once I've finished with this, give or take a couple either way. Hope you've enjoyed this chapterand there'll be more coming soon!


	5. Checkmate

**Disclaimer:** If you recognise it then I don't own it. Sadly. All characters are property of the marvellous JK Rowling.

This is (eventually) going to be **Remus/Harry slash**. Don't like? Don't read!

* * *

Chapter Five

Harry awoke in his bed only to find that it was in total darkness. He could just make out the bright outline of the door against the inky blackness and he crossed over to it. Shaky fingers reached out towards it and pulled it open gently to reveal the landing on the other side although it was not what he was expecting it to be.

It was a wreck.

The floor was burnt black whilst the walls were bare stone and were crumbling in places. At the end of the landing, two of the rooms had been blasted off altogether. Harry cautiously walked over and found himself staring down at the barren remains of the kitchen beneath him. He saw something which looked like a charred arm and he recoiled. Thunder crashed in the distance and lightning lit the sky for a moment, allowing Harry to realise that there was no roof over the house any longer.

"What happened…?" Harry whispered and turned away. He ran down the landing towards the stairs which would lead him downstairs and out of the house, out of this nightmare! But there were no stairs. The bottom of them had burnt away to nothing and they had broken off at the top, slipping down into a pile of charred wood beneath.

He cautiously put one foot forwards and leapt onto what remained of the banister. Harry slid to the bottom almost perfectly and when he arrived at the foot of the stairs it was almost as if he had Apparated there.

There was silence all around him except for the faint crackling of wood as part of the house burnt. Glancing to the side, Harry saw that the door itself was aflame and he wondered how he'd never seen that before as he stepped down the hallway and into the lounge, almost fearful of what he'd find.

"My god… NO!" Harry cried as he entered the room. His eyes fell on Tonks and Sirius sat on the sofa, their bodies burnt to a crisp and bone exposed. Their cheerful features, although burnt and nonexistent in places, were focused on one another as if they were in conversation. Clearly they were dead.

Harry stared round the room in horror, his eyes finding Snape, Minerva and Mad Eye together frozen in conversation. They were in the same state as Tonks and Sirius, and Harry felt tears stinging his eyes. Kingsley lay in front of the fireplace where flames flickered still and the Weasley twins were frozen in the window. Harry knew that he would find Molly and Arthur in the kitchen and he didn't want to dare enter there.

He turned to run when his gaze found Remus lying on the floor at his feet. The eyes of the man he had come to love so dearly were wide open as flames licked at his body. Remus's eyes pleaded desperately with him as he rotted before Harry's eyes and he opened his mouth to speak but it was Voldemort's voice he heard.

"I'll return one day, Harry," Remus mouthed, "and when I do, this will be what you find."

"Oh Jesus Christ, No!" Harry gasped as he shot up in bed, clutching desperately at the duvet that covered him and taking deep breaths of air. He couldn't smell smoke, there was no fire and he was pretty sure that the house was still in tact. But just to make sure…

Harry padded across the carpet in his bare feet feeling relieved that he could see his room from the light that entered through the slight crack in the door. He took a deep breath as he pulled it open. Light flooded in, assaulting his eyes and he squinted against the sudden visual barrage, waiting to get used to the sudden light.

The landing appeared to be in one piece and he could hear thudding from upstairs as Fred and George wandered around in the middle of the night. Harry decided that finding out just what they were experimenting on in the early hours of the morning was probably a bad idea and walked through the thick carpet to Remus's room and hovered outside. He didn't want to wake the werewolf with his problems but at the same time he didn't want to trail back to bed.

His mind was made up when he heard muttering within. Harry pushed open the door cautiously and slipped inside. Remus's room wasn't as dark as his own and his eyes were still slightly accustomed to the dark so he easily walked over to the bed in the darkness.

Remus snapped awake when he felt something touch his arm and saw Harry's concerned gaze looking down at him. It seemed like Harry was always there for him whenever something was slightly wrong in his life. He was almost like his very own guardian angel. Remus smiled slightly at the thought, unaware that Harry had a more selfish motivation to be in there at that hour.

"Thanks for waking me," Remus mumbled feeling almost embarrassed and knew that he had probably been pleading in his sleep with the force that haunted his dreams. "So did you come in here just for that reason or was there something else?"

Now it came to it Harry felt quite young and foolish but he had woken Remus from the confines of his own mind so at least he had done something. "I woke up and I couldn't sleep so I went for a walk and heard you…" Harry said, lying only partially. "Well, if you take 'went for a walk' to mean 'checking the house is still in one piece' then that's accurate."

Remus smiled slightly and moved up. "Here, tell me about it," he said to Harry who sat down in the space Remus had made, although he could have sat on the other side of the large bed had he chosen to.

So Harry told him everything, feeling more relieved the more he talked and feeling perfectly at home sat on Remus's bed with its owner. Meanwhile, Remus himself felt warmed at the idea that Harry would share something as personal as a terrible nightmare with him and seem so comfortable curled up on his bed with him.

"—and you had Voldemort's voice when you said it and that's when I woke up," Harry finished with a slight shudder at the idea whilst Remus gave him a warm and pitying look.

"It just seems like you're afraid of losing the one home you've ever had," Remus said to him calmly and wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulders, no longer feeling the desire to recoil at the touch of another human. "And since it's Voldemort speaking to you then it's most likely because he's been the one to destroy your life so much already, although why he'd be speaking through _my_ mouth I can't fathom…"

Harry smiled as Remus began to interpret bits of his dream as he saw it. "Me neither, you don't strike me as Dark Lord material," Harry replied sleepily and shivered slightly from the cool evening air.

With a quick wave of his wand, that Harry wasn't aware Remus had even had near him, Harry had been levitated up and under the duvet. "You were cold," Remus explained as Harry curled up closer to him. "So why aren't I Dark Lord material?"

"Reckon you could kill me?" Harry asked offhandedly.

Remus's eyes widened at the idea and he shook his head. "Never."

"Then you've already failed," Harry smiled.

"Because killing you is the test to become a Dark Lord now, is it?" Remus asked him with a slight smile.

"Well wanting to torture and kill the opposition is usually a requirement for the whole evil dictator malarkey and I'd oppose you if you tried it," Harry said. "And you'd have to be evil too…"

"I'm a dark creature, that's pretty near evil," Remus said more bitterly than he'd intended to. He felt Harry press against him.

"I don't care," Harry murmured and then realised what he'd said. "Well I do care, I care that it causes you pain but I don't care that—"

Remus smiled as Harry tried to dig himself out of a hole which wasn't really a hole in the first place. He leant down and pressed a light kiss to the tip of Harry's nose and he fell silent.

"It doesn't matter, and I know what you mean," Remus said as he pulled back from Harry who looked up at him with the slightest of smiles on his face. "Just forget about it, Angel, until I try and take over the world…"

"It'll never happen, you'd be there _asking_ people to let you seize power," Harry smiled and then looked up to him questioningly. "Angel?"

"You're like my guardian angel," Remus smiled lightly as he moved further underneath the heavy duvet. He knew that he could move further over to give Harry more room but in all honesty he was perfectly happy with the two of them pressed together. "You're always here when I need you, and when I don't."

Harry laughed and shook his head against Remus's chest. They were aware that they had both moved much closer than before. "Don't be ridiculous, how can _I_ be _your_ protector?"

Remus simply waved his wand and watched the silver wolf identical to Harry bounding about the room happily before his Patronus disappeared entirely.

"That's how."

* * *

The next morning Remus awoke with Harry's light weight sprawled across him, his head nuzzling against his chest and a soft smile curving his lips in sleep. Harry's arms were carelessly thrown over Remus's too-thin body whilst a leg was holding Remus's own captive. In turn Harry had a pair of arms wrapped around him, not that Remus could remember putting them there.

He was so peaceful in sleep, Remus thought as he breathed in Harry's scent. It was everywhere and Remus realised that his room, and his bed especially, would smell of Harry for quite some time. It was a comforting thought when he knew that the chances of Harry sleeping in his bed again were slim.

He was comfortable then; Harry was not awake to know that he was being watched. He wasn't aware that Remus's eyes trailed along the contours of his face, admired the light on his skin and came to rest on slightly parted lips. However, Remus had no reason to believe that Harry would let himself be watched in such a manner once he was aware of it occurring. That was why it had to stop. Unfortunately, Remus didn't want to tear his eyes away. The fact that his body was becoming increasingly warmer and his breathing heavier only made his mind feel guiltier. It did not stop him staring however.

What did stop him staring was Harry. Harry moving in his sleep and blissfully unaware of his actions as he slid one leg between Remus's and ran slowly down the inside of the werewolf's thigh.

"Oh my god…" Remus murmured and bit his lip. If Harry was awake then Remus would have crushed their lips together by now but Harry was asleep and had no idea as to the way in which he was torturing Remus.

He rolled over away from Harry and fell asleep again shortly after only to wake up again an hour later when Molly wandered in and drew the curtains. She smiled in a slightly confused manner at the sight of Remus and Harry in bed together and left the room, luckily for the sleeping duo, having not heard any of the rumours flying around the house about them.

"Morning," Remus mumbled as he opened an eye to Harry stirring against him. He was left with a confused feeling; now unaware as to whether or not he had dreamed the entire encounter with Harry's leg.

"Morning," Harry repeated. He curled up under the duvet and stared at Remus, a decidedly odd feeling in his stomach. It was almost like when he used to look at…

There was an odd moment of silence as they stared at each other, both feeling their cheeks redden and eventually Harry looked away. What was going on between them? Harry had never felt embarrassed with Remus before and yet it was almost as if there had been some small shift in their relationship of which Harry had not been informed. Creases formed on his forehead and Remus watched him carefully, wondering what was happening in his mind.

"What's wrong?" Remus asked, knowing that he wouldn't get the truth for an answer.

"Bit of a headache," Harry lied as he slipped out of bed. He disappeared into the small bathroom on the side of Remus's room and took a shower on his suggestion.

Remus himself remained frozen in bed, aware that he'd spent a lot of time staring at Harry. Well… 'staring' was probably the wrong word, 'lusting' may have been rather more appropriate considering the interesting reactions Remus's body was having to Harry's presence at his side.

"Oh this is bad… this is really, really bad…" Remus moaned into his hands as he took a few deep, steadying breaths. Harry probably had no idea how he was feeling, or at least if he did then he'd have leapt out of bed at the first opportunity, which he hadn't done.

Eventually he managed to get out of bed and stopped trying to imagine himself into the shower with Harry. Not that he was managing to do that very well anyway; he always ended up looking _away_ from Harry and the shower.

Remus was going to be dwelling on that all day, he knew it. Every time he glanced at Harry, whether it was over breakfast or in the lounge later on, he felt distinctly ill. He wasn't sure whether it was at the idea of Harry being his son (as was strongly implied by Molly during breakfast) or the idea of him being with Harry (as was strongly implied by his own mind again … and again … and again).

He could barely concentrate on the chess game he was in the middle of with Sirius and he kept moving his pieces into ridiculous positions. It was for this reason that Sirius found himself winning the first game of chess against his old friend that he could ever remember. Clearly something was very wrong and Sirius wanted to find out what.

Sirius wasn't the only one whose eyes were on Remus; on the other side of the room Tonks was watching Remus intently. She held in her hands a copy of Remus's favourite book in a desperate attempt to impress him but it wasn't working. Remus wasn't paying her the slightest amount of attention and Tonks was becoming very frustrated.

Harry glanced at her over his copy of the Daily Prophet that he had found earlier on and ran his eyes over the article on the front page.

_DEATH EATER ATTACK ON DIAGON ALLEY_

Harry read with little interest, knowing that it was the same as dozens of other similar attacks on predominantly wizarding areas throughout the country. It didn't matter that Voldemort had been gone for years now; Death Eaters remained alive and many of them were yet to be rounded up and sent to Azkaban. They were the ones who seemed intent on creating as much havoc around the country in the name of the Dark Lord as they could.

It was with a frown that Harry read about the five people who had been killed in the attack for no reason at all, other than that they were shopping in the wrong place at the wrong time. He shook his head and threw the paper into the fire where the flames leapt up and devoured it.

Sirius ducked automatically as Harry summoned a book from the shelves behind him and began to read. There was little to do in Grimmauld Place when the weather was so very dull. Rain was splattering against the windows and the occasional rumble of thunder could be heard in the distance if one listened very hard. None of those inside did though.

"Checkmate," Sirius said, scanning the board for any covert attack of Remus's that he had failed to miss. There was none. He had won for the first time in his life and Sirius Black had never been more suspicious.

"That's it, I've had it!" Tonks yelled and threw her book into the fire. The door slammed shut and she could be heard storming up the stairs leaving two stunned people in her midst and Harry reading idly. He'd seen it coming… he'd just had no desire to stop her, even if she had ruined a perfectly good book.


	6. The First Test

**Disclaimer:** If you recognise it then I don't own it. Sadly. All characters are property of the marvellous JK Rowling.

This is **Remus/Harry slash**. Don't like? Don't read!

(I love this chapter... Just thought I'd tell you that.)

* * *

Chapter Six

"Look, Remus!" Tonks shouted as she ran down one flight of stairs and across the landing of the first floor. Remus was either going to barricade himself in his room or run downstairs to seek safety in numbers. Safety with Harry. Tonks was damned if she was going to let him get that far.

"Leave me alone, Tonks!" Remus turned and shouted. She had gone. He turned to his bedroom and found her standing in the doorway. "Apparating… such a clever witch," Remus said more coolly than he would normally have done. There was a crack and Remus had gone.

"If you see Tonks then you haven't seen me," Remus muttered to Sirius and Harry as he pulled Harry's Invisibility Cloak around his shoulders in the lounge a few minutes later. He had managed to grab it from Harry's room and was now going into hiding in the hopes that Tonks, upon a visual failure of him, would leave him alone.

Sure enough, Tonks came flying through the door a moment later. "Have you seen Remus?"

"Yeah, he's hiding under the Invisibility Cloak there," Sirius said and pointed straight at Remus.

"_Accio Invisibility Cloak_," said Tonks and the silvery, flowing material landed in her arms, revealing Remus calmly sat on the sofa reading. Tonks folded her arms across her chest and glared at Remus. She took two steps forwards but Remus held up a hand to stop her.

"One step closer and I'll Apparate somewhere else entirely," he threatened mildly, not taking his eyes from the book in his hands.

"My god, Remus," Tonks sighed as she sat down opposite him. "Must you be so difficult?"

"Yes."

"Look, I just wanted to ask you if you wanted to go out again tonight," Tonks said. She sounded almost fearful of the reaction that Remus would give her and the man in question didn't want to be the one to hurt her… Yet, at the same time he really didn't want to go on another date with someone who had leapt through a plate-glass window on their last romantic adventure.

"Uh…" Remus said, suddenly staring at her. "I… um…"

"He can't," Sirius said plainly and everyone turned to stare at him. Remus felt very glad for the lack of attention on him right at that moment, although he was instantly wary of whatever scheme Sirius had thought up on the spot. There was no way that this could end well…

"Why not?" Tonks asked, her brows creasing in confusion as Remus stood up next to her and watched Sirius with some trepidation.

Sirius grinned widely. "Because he's going out with Harry tonight."

Tonks stared at him in disbelief. It was lucky that she was since that meant she didn't notice the way that Remus and Harry stared at him with a similar look on their faces.

"As in, on a date!" Tonks asked, hoping that she was either being joked with or at the very least that they were just going out as friends.

"Precisely." Remus gave Sirius a cold look as the grinning fool spoke the final word.

"Is this true?" Tonks demanded, turning to face Remus with a look of fury on her face. Remus took a step back almost automatically and Harry stepped into the space between them, pulling one of Remus's arms around him.

"Yes," Harry said confidently. Remus felt his stomach flip and a shaky smile made its way onto his face as his arm held Harry a little tighter. Of course they weren't going on a date together; hell they wouldn't even be leaving the house but perhaps, maybe, possibly… The treacherous thought never made its way into coherency before Tonks spoke again.

"How can you date someone half your age!" Tonks shouted at Remus who tried to take a step back but as Harry held onto his arm tightly neither of them moved an inch. "A _boy_ half your age who was the son of your dead best friend!"

'_And so the first test is presented,_' Sirius thought as he watched the scene. He remained invisible now, ignored by the other three as he cast silencing charms around the room and a strong locking charm on the door.

"James has been dead a long time, Tonks," Remus said wearily, "and even if he wasn't then I'm sure that he would only want us both to be happy."

"You're out of your minds," Tonks said, shaking her head. "I mean The Boy Who Lived just turned eighteen with a forty year old werewolf!"

"Thirty-nine year old werewolf…" Remus muttered and Harry flashed him a smile.

"Anyway, I think we've had enough of this talk, as interesting as it's been," Sirius said suddenly, reminding them that he was still there. He stepped between Harry and Remus, wrapping an arm around each of them as he steered them out of the room.

"Sirius, what the hell do you think you are doing!" Harry demanded as he found himself in the hallway.

"I think I'm sending you two on your date before Tonks thinks of any more reasons why you shouldn't be together," Sirius muttered and shoved them through the front door just as Tonks leapt out into the hallway after them.

"But I—" Remus started before he almost fell to the ground. The door slammed shut and the grinning face of Sirius disappeared.

"Sirius Black! You open this door right now!" Tonks yelled from inside. Remus looked at Harry who merely laughed.

"I guess we're stuck outside for a while now then," Remus sighed as he glanced at the window and saw Tonks fighting Sirius to get closer to them. She was likely to leap through it, considering her last escapade in Diagon Alley.

"Well we may as well go somewhere since we're supposedly on a date anyway," Harry said. Remus bit his lip slightly.

"But there's the matter of neither of us having any money. What can we do without it?" Remus asked him.

"I've got some Muggle money with me actually," Harry said as he found a little money in one of his pockets, "and my Gringotts key."

"Nope, no way am I letting you pay for us to go anywhere," Remus said as Harry took hold of his arm. He felt the familiar sensation of being squeezed through a tube, his breath stolen from him until the two of them appeared in the middle of a town. It seemed familiar to Remus and Harry smiled. They were near the middle of Surrey and Remus stared up at the building in front of him.

"Ice skating?" he asked, confusion evident in his voice. "But it's not winter."

Harry laughed and took Remus's arm, steering them both inside. "It doesn't have to be."

"But I can't skate…" Remus said nervously. "I used to try at school but I just fell over a lot."

"Yeah, me too," Harry smiled as he paid for their entrance. "Don't worry, it's much easier here. The ice is far smoother and you'll be with me."

"Gee, don't I feel comforted now," Remus snapped, sounding more bitter than he had meant to. He glanced at Harry who merely smiled as he ran up the stairs, tugging Remus along behind him.

"What I meant was that I'm terrible too, so I'm sure you'll look great in comparison." Harry gave him his most charming smile as they arrived upstairs near the rink. It was quiet to say it was an evening; there were a few couples skating around the edges and a younger group of people racing up and down the middle.

Remus watched them and then glanced down at the ice, wondering how there could possibly be ice on an upstairs floor… Perhaps there was so much water underneath it that it couldn't be any lower. He looked at Harry in confusion and Harry explained as they tied up their ice skates in the next room.

"It's just a thin layer of ice over some flooring," Harry told him. "Well, I think it is anyway, it'll be a few inches deep or something. There's no water underneath it so you can't fall through."

Remus wondered why anyone would bother going through so much when they could just wait until winter for it to actually freeze.

"It's fun, that's why," Harry smiled as they walked out to the ice. Another beginning couple were just ahead of them and Remus and Harry watched them fall over. It didn't do much for Remus's confidence as he stepped onto the ice and almost lost his footing immediately.

"I can't do this…" Remus said as he clung to Harry tightly.

They moved slowly around the ice together, Remus gaining a little more confidence as they skated for longer. Harry smiled at Remus's irritance as a young girl easily skated past them and twirled on the ice.

"Urgh, no one should be able to do that," Remus scowled as he sped up a little, taking longer steps instead of the halting movements he had in the beginning.

Harry let go of him and span gracefully on the ice. He then proceeded to skate backwards in front of Remus, teasing him as he stayed just out of reach.

"I thought you said you were awful at this!" Remus cried as he sped up to try and catch hold of Harry but he couldn't quite move fast enough yet.

"Well, maybe I'm not that bad," Harry laughed as he caught Remus's hands in his own and spun them both round on the ice. Remus gasped and pressed closer to Harry.

"No, don't! I'll fall!" Remus laughed and Harry merely spun them faster until Remus lost his footing. He slipped backwards, still spinning with Harry and landed on top of the younger man. There was a thud as the air was knocked out of them.

"Ouch, that was your fault…" Remus muttered as he sat up slightly and stared down at Harry.

"Sorry," Harry mumbled as he opened his eyes, feeling his head throbbing where he'd hit it. Remus was watching him with a worried expression on his face which made Harry smile slightly. "Are you okay?"

"Am I okay! You're the one that hit your head on the floor, not me," Remus laughed. "But yes, I'm fine. What about you?"

He reached down to Harry with his fingers and lightly brushed the hair from his eyes as he leant over the young man. "I'm okay," Harry breathed, "although a little cold."

Remus jolted slightly at the remembrance that they were lying on ice, well Harry was lying on ice and he was mostly lying on Harry. The realisation of just how close they were was the force which made Remus pull himself back to his feet and help Harry up after him.

"Thanks," Harry smiled shakily. They skated a few more laps around the rink, their fingers entwined although neither of them paid much heed to that fact as they talked and moved almost automatically by that point.

"You're still freezing," Remus said as they neared the exit and pressed his own fingers round Harry's that little bit tighter, feeling the chill in his fingers. "Come on, let's go back and have some dinner."

They returned their skates and Remus surreptitiously cast a couple of warming charms over them both as they left the building. Remus wrapped an arm loosely around Harry's shoulders as they walked and felt a smile touch his face when Harry's own arm wound around his waist.

"So is this date better than the one you went on with Tonks?" Harry asked with laugher dancing in his eyes.

"Much better," Remus smiled. "Shall I Apparate us back then since you were so good as to bring me here?"

"No, we can't go back for tea. Tonks'll know we didn't go anywhere really if we do that," Harry mused. "I know…"

Remus felt the air sucked from his lungs and dizzying pressure applied to them both, then a moment later it was over. He found himself in Diagon Alley, still with Harry on his arm. Harry shook his head slightly to rid himself of the imminent headache coming from a mixture of hitting his head on the ice and Apparating not long after.

"I wish you'd warn me before doing that," Remus muttered as Harry pulled him over towards Gringotts, although it was closed. "Uh, Harry…?"

"Hole in the wall," Harry said by way of explanation. There was a small series of holes in the wall along the side of the bank and Harry walked over to one of them. He pulled out his Gringotts key and pressed it into one of them before muttering something under his breath – presumably a password of some kind.

Remus caught Harry's shoulders as their section of the wall suddenly revolved and they found themselves inside a small vault. It was far smaller than Harry's and had only a fraction of the money inside it but there was more than enough there for them to go out to dinner on and it appeared that was what Harry had in mind…

"Take your pick," Remus said with a slight smile a few minutes later. He had been unable to convince Harry to let him pay for the meal, or even his offer to give him the money back at a later date. "We can either eat at _Café La Romantique_ or Gimble's…"

"Well, as tempting as the Café is, I'll have to say Gimble's," Harry smiled and the two wandered into the new restaurant after having transfigured their Muggle clothing into presentable robes.

It had only been open a week but already it was doing excellent business and was taking a good portion of the customers away from the most hated of cafés where people had been resorting to sitting outside in an attempt not to be able to hear the terrible music from within. Gimble's was just… classier. The food was better, the service more impressive, the music less horrid and the waiters didn't pretend to be French. All in all it was a much needed improvement.

Remus and Harry were seated at the other side of the large room by the windows offering a view of Muggle London. Not only would they be mostly ignored by the wizards in the room but unseen by those outside, yet they were able to see them. It was a good position to be sat in and Harry loved watching everyone passing them by without a glance through the window.

The window was later ignored after almost three bottles of wine and two courses with one still to go. Remus and Harry watched each other over the table, more intent upon the other than the mindless conversation they were somehow upholding and everything else around them.

"What?" Harry asked as he ate the chocolate mousse he had for his third and final course. Remus watched the spoon enviously and tried to pry his eyes away but they weren't responding the way he wanted them to. Neither was another part of his anatomy but that wasn't quite as immediate as the incessant staring. After all, Harry could _see_ that Remus was staring…

"Nothing," Remus mumbled and forced his gaze onto his own dessert that he ate with difficulty, unaware that Harry was watching him and neglecting his own food.

"You know, I think we might have had too much wine back there," Harry said thoughtfully as he and Remus walked out of the restaurant a little later, their arms around one another.

"I'm sure we didn't…" Remus said, "I feel fine!" He caught onto Harry before almost slipping in the street and laughed slightly. "Okay, maybe a little too much to drink."

Harry laughed and held onto Remus's hand, swinging it as they wandered along the street towards the Leaky Cauldron. Remus spun him round in the street and Harry fell into his arms giggling.

"Fool," Remus smiled as he pushed Harry back to his feet. He turned round to face him and they were suddenly too close but neither of them was sober enough to notice it. "You're beautiful, you know that, Angel?" Remus said, realising as he said so that he probably shouldn't have and a pair of warm lips pressed drunkenly against his own.


	7. Suspiciously Nonchalant

**Disclaimer:** If you recognise it then I don't own it. Sadly. All characters are property of the marvellous JK Rowling.

This is **Remus/Harry slash**. Don't like? Don't read!

* * *

Chapter Seven

"I do not believe it!" Tonks screeched as she stormed into the lounge and slammed the door shut behind her with such force that it rattled the windows. "Sirius! Why didn't you tell me about this sooner!"

"For the last time, I only found out earlier on," Sirius sighed as he tried to return to the Prophet's latest slanderous article. It was no good; Tonks crossed the room in three strides and tore the paper from his grip, before throwing it into the fire. "See, that just wasn't necessary. What did the Prophet ever do to you?"

"What's going on?" Kingsley asked, leaning forwards in his seat interestedly.

"Something involving Potter and Lupin, no doubt," Severus sneered before pretending to return to his book. He kept his ears open to hear whatever it was that was happening; after all, he couldn't get caught unawares as to the goings on of the wolves.

"Sirius sent them on a date together!" Tonks shouted at Severus who snorted with laughter. "This isn't funny!"

"I beg to differ," Severus choked as his eyes began to water. Next to him, Minerva was hiding a slight smile behind Witch Weekly – she read it diligently each week, pointing out its flaws but becoming absorbed by the articles nonetheless.

"What the hell would _you_ know?" Tonks snarled at Severus. "You've not been on a date in about twenty years!"

"Which, incidentally, is about the same for you too," Severus sneered as she ran from the room. The door slammed behind her, and laughter and excited mutterings broke out in the room.

"So, is this true?" Mad Eye asked Sirius once he had made sure that Tonks had gone right the way up to her own bedroom with his magical eye.

Sirius grinned. "It might be."

"Where did they go?" Minerva asked a little more eagerly than she meant to and then assumed a façade of indifference. She successfully fooled no one, though no one cared; everyone was as interested in the affairs of Remus and Harry as she.

"I have absolutely no idea," Sirius said honestly. "I wish I did now… they could have gone anywhere."

"So how did you make them go?" Kingsley asked dubiously. He had a strong feeling that neither Harry nor Remus had any idea of what was happening until Sirius had informed them and perhaps shoved them through the Floo or something. "Did you just push them through the fireplace together?"

Sirius shook his head. "Front door, not fireplace."

"You just pushed them out through the front door and expected them to go on a date together?" Minerva demanded and looked entirely frustrated with him. "Well that won't work… they'll just have gone out for dinner somewhere wholly unromantic and will wander back together feeling none the closer."

"Well Remus only agreed to it so that they would get away from Tonks," Sirius explained. "They're just pretending to date so that she'll leave Remus alone for good."

"You really think that'll work?" Severus asked him with a raised eyebrow. "Hyenas could come up with a better plan."

"I know, but there weren't any at hand whilst I was plotting," Sirius replied coolly. "The point is that Remus is worried what people'll think of him if he goes out with Harry so just act supportive."

"Well even if this half-baked plan means that Potter and Lupin aren't actually dating then it'll make them see that they ought to be, surely," Severus admitted grimly.

"It should certainly bring the obvious to pass," Minerva nodded.

There was thudding as Tonks half jogged and half fell down the stairs. Mad Eye glanced through the wall. "Quick, look busy!"

Tonks re-entered the lounge to see everyone looking suspiciously nonchalant and not a single person looked up at her tear-streaked face. She threw herself down on the sofa next to Sirius who offered her a cup of hot chocolate, all the time staring around at everyone else who didn't so much as look at her. Something was definitely going on, she decided.

* * *

Harry laughed and held onto Remus's hand, swinging it as they wandered along the street towards the Leaky Cauldron. Remus spun him round in the street and Harry fell into his arms giggling.

"Fool," Remus smiled as he pushed Harry back to his feet. He turned round to face him and they were suddenly too close but neither of them was sober enough to notice it. "You're beautiful, you know that, Angel?" Remus said, realising as he said so that he probably shouldn't have and a pair of warm lips pressed drunkenly against his own.

Harry pulled back, gasping for breath shortly after and watched Remus, who was watching him. "Oh god, Rem… I'm sorry… I shouldn't have…"

He was silenced as Remus pressed his lips firmly against his again and slipped his tongue in between Harry's lips. Remus felt the slightest of smiles forming on his face and delved deeper into Harry's mouth, the dominance of the wolf inside him pushing Harry back against a wall. They were silent for some time as they clung to each other and finally let go of feelings that they had partly no idea that they had even possessed for the other, until some scrap of sanity made its way back to them and they pulled apart again.

"Come on, let's go home," Remus said quietly as he looked down at Harry, fighting the smile that wanted to make its way onto his face and the feeling of guilt that was already wandering to the forefront of his mind.

The front door opened, allowing a gust of wind to cool the hallway somewhat. Remus and Harry walked in quietly, both with their arms around the other. They no longer had Tonks in their minds, and they weren't thinking about how best to make her believe they were dating; they were far too intoxicated for that now.

Harry wrapped his arms around Remus's neck, whilst Remus slipped his arms around Harry's waist, pulling him closer. Somewhere in the hallway there was the slightest click, as a door was opened a sliver and an eye watched them in the hallway.

"Tonight was fun," Remus murmured to Harry who smiled and agreed. "We ought to go out again."

"Definitely," Harry said as he tilted his face up towards Remus's. He pressed their lips together lightly for a brief moment before pulling away, the slightest of smiles lingering on his own lips. A glance told him the same remained on Remus's. "I'm going to bed then, I'm going to have such a hangover tomorrow. Night," he said and pressed another quick kiss to his cheek before wandering up the stairs rather less stably than he would normally have done.

"Night, Angel," Remus murmured after him before following him up a moment later. The kitchen door closed and Tonks sank down behind it, hugging her knees tightly whilst her mind desperately plotted a way to get closer to Remus and rid of Harry.

* * *

"It really isn't fair on me," Tonks growled at the breakfast table the next morning. She glowered at her cereal as if it too had taken the man she loved away from her and was flaunting it in her face. "I mean, I love Remus. I'm sure as hell that Harry doesn't."

"Tonks, you keep your mouth shut around them," Sirius warned, glaring at her across the table. "Or you can say whatever you want and face the consequences."

Sirius in all his threatening glory was not something which most people would have liked to reckon with. Tonks, having known him for so long, was just as wise to this as everyone else and was no less intimidated. There was no way that she would so much as speak to Harry or Remus in his presence. Though when Sirius wasn't around who knew what she might say…?

It had been a restless night for Tonks which was then followed by an even less restful morning. Neither Harry nor Remus made any appearance in the kitchen until midday, and even then they looked half asleep and rather nauseous. Preceding that she'd been forced to listen to the rest of the house pointedly talking about how great it was that the two of them got together, eventually forcing her to run from the room with tears stinging her eyes.

She slammed her bedroom door shut on the sight of Harry and Remus stood casually talking on the landing, and sank down against the back of the door. Tonks wiped her eyes on the back of her hand and reflected sadly that it was almost as if the whole house was intentionally talking about them in front of her to flaunt Remus's sexuality against her.

It wasn't until the afternoon that she eventually let Kingsley into her room to talk. The rest of the house was worried that perhaps Remus and Harry had overdone it when she didn't emerge from her bedroom but they were certain that they had got the message through to Tonks once and for all.

"Tonks…" Kingsley started, conjuring some chocolate from the kitchen for her. "Look, I know what you're going through but—"

"But what? That you're here for me? That you'll support me through this whilst I have to watch them being all over each other in the halls and in the lounge and in the kitchen and _everywhere!_" Tonks demanded, prodding Kingsley viciously in the chest a number of times as she said so.

"Ummm…" Kingsley said whilst his mind desperately searched for an alternative to his previous train of speech. She had been too close for him to say what he had planned on.

"Thanks Kingsley, but no thanks," she sighed. "I suppose I may as well resign myself to dying alone."

"At the ripe old age of twenty-six!" Kingsley smiled slightly. "I know right now it seems hard, but I suggest that you cope however you can and try to get over him."

Tonks opened her mouth to reply but closed it with a sigh. She crossed over the room and stared out through the window at the depressingly happy scene; the birds were singing, the trees were swaying slightly in the sunshine, and the sky was entirely cloudless. She narrowed her eyes and turned back to Kingsley.

"They went ice skating, you know," Tonks said glumly and sat down next to him on the bed again. Kingsley nodded in what he hoped was a sympathetic manner; he had heard all this earlier on in varying degrees from Harry and Remus, and then more embellished tales from Sirius. "And then they went to the new restaurant in Diagon Alley, which I've heard is both rather romantic and too expensive for me to afford…"

"I know, they were talking about it earlier on," Kingsley said, trying not to smile slightly.

"And they kissed when they came home in the hallway, too," Tonks said, continuing as if she hadn't even heard what Kingsley had said to her. "Did you see?"

Kingsley shook his head. "No, and I know it's not what you want to hear but try to be happy for them."

"_Be happy for them?_" Tonks almost shouted. She leapt to her feet again and started pacing around the room. "How can I be happy for two people when I want to be with one of them?"

"Because you love Harry and you care about Remus," Kingsley said levelly. "They're both happy this way so let them be." He rose from his seat on the bed and left the room, failing to shut the door behind him. Through the crack in the door, Remus and Harry were just visible further down the landing and Tonks bit back a cry of frustration as she slammed it shut.

* * *

**A/N:** Coming next time (after this disappointingly short chapter)… Harry and Remus's thoughts the morning after! 


	8. Moving Closer

**Disclaimer:** If you recognise it then I don't own it. Sadly. All characters are property of the marvellous JK Rowling.

This is **Remus/Harry slash**. Don't like? Don't read!

Long time, no story, I know! Exams looming - very little time. Expect long delays:o)

* * *

Chapter Eight

Remus awoke to the less-than-pleasant sound of vomiting. For a strange disorientated moment, he wondered whether it was him making such a dreadful noise, and he had simply not realised it yet. His eyes opened blearily to find himself lying on the floor by his bed under the duvet which had, for reasons unknown to him, been pulled onto the floor. Evidently someone else had been sleeping next to him, from the large space there was next to him and the manner by which it had folded back on itself. Said person would probably be the one having their food intake from the last few hours being regurgitated in the next room, Remus realised.

He thought back to the night before, but there was little after he and Harry had fallen over during ice skating that he could remember. Flashes of a meal, laughter, staggering slightly through the streets with his arm around Harry… but there was little more and nothing of any interest that he could recall. Perhaps Harry could remember.

When Harry returned from the bathroom, and Remus was relieved that it _was_ Harry and not Tonks who had been sleeping next to him, he couldn't remember anything else.

"I think I remember Gringotts briefly," Harry mumbled slightly as he curled back up next to Remus, closing his eyes away from the light, which to him, was dazzlingly bright. "D'know what else though…"

Remus lay back on the floor, feeling a dizzying feeling which rapidly intensified every time he tried to get up, and panic rising within him. He couldn't remember a thing from the night before, but all he knew was that he had somehow ended up on the floor with Harry. He might have minded less, had he known how they had managed to get into such a position, but seeing as neither could, that left their situation open to all kinds of interpretations. Ones which he knew the rest of the house were instantly going to leap to.

He sighed as he curled up absentmindedly with Harry and wrapped an arm loosely around his waist. He felt Harry tense momentarily between his fingers and then move closer to him. It was a strange perversion of the way things had been when he, Remus, had been the one to flinch away from Harry's touch and he appreciated the irony for a moment before sleep began to tug at him. The world slipped away with a yawn.

* * *

"What's her problem?" Harry asked as Tonks ran from the room. He had only passed Remus the sugar at the breakfast table that morning and she had burst into hysterical tears.

"She saw you and Remus kiss in the hallway last night," Minerva said casually, though Remus and Harry stared at each other.

For a moment nobody spoke and Harry wondered whether his stomach was tying itself in a rather intricate knot; it certainly felt like it. Meanwhile Remus could feel the colour creeping into his cheeks and his heart was fluttering rather more madly than it usually did.

"She _says_ she saw you kissing in the hallway last night," Sirius corrected. "So…? Is it true?" He grinned wickedly and Remus and Harry could only look at each other in confusion.

"I can't remember much of last night after we went ice skating," Remus said and concentrated on his breakfast, instead of the stares of the dozen or so people surrounding him.

"Oh, you went ice skating?" Hermione gasped. "That's so sweet!"

"I didn't know you went in for such inane Muggle activities," Severus observed as he watched his breakfast intently; he was not going to let Black ruin this meal for him as well. He had already ruined four of his meals that week.

Remus felt glad that the attention had been taken partly off him, and the others began to talk between themselves about Muggle ice skating. He knew it was only a matter of time before they turned back to he and Harry and started questioning them on their activities for the rest of the night, but for a short while he wouldn't have to feel like he was being interrogated.

"So what happened once you'd been ice skating?" Hermione asked eagerly, once talk of ice skating began to die down a little. Everyone immediately turned back to Harry and Remus, both of whom squirmed slightly with the attention directed upon them full force, once more.

Harry took over the question and answer session, whilst Remus sank happily into the background, thankful to be out of the way. There were some definite blank spots in the evening, and the further they discussed, the more the blank spots began to outnumber the memories. It became evident that towards the end of the evening, the two had become highly intoxicated, and most people were quite surprised that they were up at all with the hangovers from which they ought to have been suffering.

Severus sighed and dutifully summoned the appropriate potions to alleviate their pain from the previous evening, but only because of the glares that the rest of the house were fixing upon him. He made it perfectly clear time and time again that he was not doing it for their benefit, only his own; if he didn't the rest of the house would likely drive him insane.

"Anyway, before you managed to upset Tonks," Charlie said, fixing his gaze pointedly at Harry, "we were talking about going into Hogsmeade for the day if either of you two care to join us?"

Harry glanced at Remus inquisitively for a moment before agreeing to it, shortly followed by Remus's own assent. And so, it was as the clock struck midday that Charlie and Bill fought each other through the fireplace, followed closely by Sirius, who was attempting to coax Kingsley and Tonks into betting on the winner of the two, and finally Remus and Harry stepped into the large fireplace together, travelling at great speed towards Hogsmeade.

It was nice to be out in Hogsmeade without being part of a Hogwarts gang, and with his family, Harry decided as he stepped out of the Three Broomsticks. He wandered along with Sirius and Remus towards Zonko's. Behind him, he could still hear Tonks shouting at Kingsley, who pulled her none too gently in the other direction away from them and towards the other side of town along with Bill and Charlie.

"So how much do you think I can hide in my robes if I shrink it all down after I buy it?" Remus asked as he surveyed the shop. He had made it very clear to both Harry and Sirius that he was buying enough ammunition to keep Tonks away from him for a very long time. Sure enough, when he went to the till some ten minutes later, he had an armful of supplies and even when shrunk, they bulged out in his jacket pockets slightly.

Sirius merely glanced about him, browsing for the sake of it; he had no need to buy anything from Zonko's when Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes sold so much more. That, and he could get most of it free from the twins. Remus, on the other hand, would have been asked many sticky questions if he tried to buy even half what he carried out of the shop from the red-haired duo, and it could easily be deduced that it was to be used on Tonks.

"So what do you want to do now then?" Harry asked once they'd spent another ten minutes browsing Honeydukes. Remus, having very nearly spent up all his money on Zonko's, had little left for chocolate and Sirius rolled his eyes as he bought some of the finest in the shop for him.

"I don't know," Sirius sighed, kicking a stone along the pavement. "I'm sure Hogsmeade was more interesting when we were younger."

"I'm certain it was," Remus agreed as he glanced around the street. Further down the road, a group of darkly-clad people scurried for shelter underneath the porch of the Shrieking Shack as heavy drops of rain began to fall. "Who thought it was a good idea to go out shopping today?"

"I have the feeling it was Molly just wanting to get us all out of the house for the day," Sirius replied as more people ran for cover. He felt the back of his neck prickle and turned instinctively only to find nothing except more people huddling for shelter and warmth under buildings. He felt very exposed with Harry and Remus, and wanted very much to do the same, but the Three Broomsticks would undoubtedly be filled, and it wasn't as if they hadn't already conjured magical barriers for the rain. Therefore it seemed nonsensical for everyone else to seek shelter in an entirely magical village.

Sirius frowned as he looked around, feeling very much like they were being watched. By everyone. The street was very nearly deserted but for them and a few other figures marching towards them from the other end of the street. A loud screech and laughter from down the road told them immediately that Bill, Charlie and Tonks were heading their way.

"So what the hell is with everyone here? You'd think they'd forgotten they had magic!" Bill said cheerfully as he glanced around them, the rains splattering around him, but never coming within an inch of him or anything he carried.

"Strange, hey?" Tonks asked, and watched Remus out of the corner of her eye.

Remus nodded, noticing the strangeness of the situation. "Very," he replied warily. "Hey, unless anyone has any more shopping to do, maybe we should be going. I'm starving and I know that Molly will already be cooking dinner."

"Yeah, if we've all done then let's go home," Harry added. Sirius realised that it was not only he that felt uncomfortable with the strange situation that they were in, and knew that it could not, by any stretch of the imagination, be linked to anything good happening.

"Why can't you see any of their faces?" Bill asked cautiously as he stared across at them. "I can't see any of their features at all. It's quite worrying."

"I wish Mad Eye was here," Harry said ruefully. "I'm sure he'd be able to see them clearly."

Remus nodded. "Anyway, let's not linger. I'd rather be out of this sooner than later."

"That's if we can get out," Charlie said. A crack filled the air as he tried to Disapparate, but he didn't leave the position in which he stood. "Anti-Apparition wards. We aren't going anywhere."

The seven of them stood in a circle, watching Charlie with something akin to dread etched in each face. It was as if that moment of clarity, the sudden realisation that they were in serious danger hit them quite hard, and they turned to the people around them.

They had moved closer.

Though they didn't appear to be walking just then, they knew they had moved towards them just as surely as they knew their own names. There was something about them that didn't settle right; they almost didn't seem _human._

"They're wearing masks," Remus said quietly, and the rest of them turned to look at him for a moment. It was only when Harry gasped that they looked back to them; the people had moved another ten feet closer to them and were forming a circle around them.

"How do they move like that?" Tonks asked as she caught one moving jerkily towards her out of the corner of her eye, though it froze the moment she looked directly at it. She watched them in confusion for a moment before her eyes widened with understanding.

"Inferi!" Kingsley gasped. He flung his arm out in a wide horizontal arc and a ring of fire instantly leapt up around them. Those surrounding them leapt back a few feet, but the blaze would not deter them for long, and sure enough, soon they began to take their chances leaping through it.

One by one, the smell of burning, rotting flesh met their noses and each of them began to feel violently sick. This clearly orchestrated attack on Hogsmeade whilst they were the only ones visible in the area was something which would later deeply unsettle them; right then, all they wanted was to get out alive.

"_Portus_," Sirius muttered against his watch, and took it off for all of them to grab hold. They counted down a few seconds and then, just as the sickening feeling of Portkeying took hold, it vanished and they were stood in the same place, in the middle of Hogsmeade.

"Christ Almighty, what are we going to do?" Tonks asked weakly.

"We can't travel magically, so the only thing left to do is to fight out way out," Sirius said grimly.

"That is not the only option we have left, surely?" Remus cried. "We cannot fight off hundreds—" and indeed there were now hundreds of hooded corpses surrounding them "—of the dead on our own!"

"We can distract them," Harry said quietly. "Then, when they run off after a decoy then we can make a run to Honeydukes and get to Hogwarts through there. If we set a fire behind us then they won't follow."

Kingsley glanced around them dubiously. "What can we use for a decoy?"

"All right, not just one decoy, but a few," Harry said, speaking more quickly as his mind went into overdrive. "If we can drive them all off in different directions then we stand more of a chance of survival. We can get out of here in different ways, surely? There are five passages into Hogwarts that we can use from here – we don't just have to use one."

Kingsley began to regret listening to Harry as he sprinted down the street with Tonks close behind them. Fire streaked out behind them, following their path and effectively keeping the Inferi from touching them. Neither of them turned as they sprinted towards the Shrieking Shack, but had they then they would have seen the others fanning out in all different directions, all with fire sprouting from their feet: an interesting and spontaneous spell adaptation from Bill.

The door to Honeydukes slammed open as Remus and Harry flew through it, flinging up barriers behind them even as they fell towards the floor. Remus gasped for breath when the wind was knocked out of him and he hit the floor with a thud. Next to him, Harry had done the same and the door rattled furiously on it's hinges as the Inferi reached it.

"Are you okay, Angel?" Remus asked, pulling himself up to look at Harry.

Harry smiled and nodded slightly as he hauled himself to his feet. "I'm fine. Come on, let's get out of here before it's too late!"

They stood momentarily together, eyes locking and a smile flickering onto each face despite their situation. Their silence was broken as one of the Inferi managed to break through the spell and staggered towards them, going for Remus. Harry blasted it across the room without a moment's hesitation and flung up a barrier of flames across the room. Now that the room was on fire, their situation became rather more dire than it previously had been, and Remus wasted no time in getting to the back of the shop to the trapdoor, hidden under the dust, even as smoke began to reach them.

"You first," Harry said, but Remus merely shook his head and pushed Harry into the tunnel. "You could really have hurt me then!"

Remus smiled and shook his head as the two of them set off at a quick jog down the tunnel towards the school. They only stopped once they were through the one-eyed witch and in the school. Harry felt his legs give in slightly and he leant against Remus, gasping for breath. Warm arms encircled his lean frame, holding onto him, even as Harry reached out to Remus.

"We're alive, by some miracle," Harry sighed as he breathed in Remus's scent and closed his eyes with relief. Fingers ran lightly through his hair, and Harry looked up to Remus, realising for the first time how close they were. Their noses were almost touching and they leaned in closer. Remus felt a smile make its way onto his face as Harry's lips brushed lightly against his but suddenly pulled away again.

Dizziness overtook Harry and blackness began to close in as he fainted to the floor, dimly recognising Remus as the one who sighed and picked him up before unconsciousness enveloped him.


	9. In No Way Platonic

**Disclaimer:** If you recognise it then I don't own it. Sadly. All characters are property of the marvellous JK Rowling.

This is **Remus/Harry slash**. Don't like? Don't read!

And also, a quick apology for having neglected this and various other stories for so long. More writing as of now, I hope!

* * *

Chapter Nine

"Harry!"

Someone close by breathed a sigh of relief and Harry strained to open his eyes against the dazzling light in the room. He briefly wondered how anyone could be sitting in such a ridiculously light room before the voice started to babble.

"I'm so glad you're okay. You gave us all such a fright. I mean, when you ran off and all the Inferi mostly went after you, I didn't know what to do…"

"Sirius, would you shut up and let him wake up before bombarding him, please!" That was definitely Remus. Harry smiled slightly. He'd recognise his voice anywhere.

His eyes finally fought their way open, and confirmed that it was in fact Sirius and Remus sitting at his bedside.

"What happened? Why am I…?" Harry began.

Sirius grinned, and Remus smiled a little ruefully. "Do you want to field this one, or shall I?"

"You can handle this one, Sirius."

"It's total chaos. We all ran off in totally different suggestions to the different passageways into the school, like someone suggested," Sirius said, in his usual narrative-style tale telling, and looked particularly hard at Harry before continuing. "And then we realised that most of the Inferi were running after the two of you. Of course there's fire flying from both your feet – a fantastic mixture of spells from Bill there. I mean, really fantastic. I don't know how he came up with something so –"

"—so then it seemed that most of your energy reserves –"

"—not just yours, Harry. Remus fainted too… useless git, isn't he?"

"—as I was saying! Most of _our_ energy reserves were drained, since the more Inferi there are, the more magic goes into making more fire to keep them back," Remus finally managed to finish.

"So my magic gave up and so I fainted?" Harry asked, trying to keep ahead of what the two wizards had been trying to say between them. They both nodded at him.

"That's one of the more unfortunate things about being a wizard, Harry," Sirius explained, "that if your magic runs out, then you tend to run out too. The older you get, the more your magic begins to leak out of you unnoticed, unless you happen to be pretty strong."

"We are talking very old here, older than Dumbledore was," Remus clarified.

"Yes fine, really old. Anyway, so the more your magic leaks out, the fewer spells you can perform without lots of effort, and if your magic really drains down, then you begin to sleep. A lot."

"And if it totally runs out…?" Harry asked.

"Then you die."

Harry stared at them in surprise. How could you die from lack of magic?

"But wouldn't you just become like a Muggle, or something?"

"That's not the way it works. If you're old enough for your magic to be running out, then you're too old to be a Muggle anyway," Remus explained, "but it makes no difference. If your magic ran out, irregardless of your age, that'd be the end of you."

"Are there ways to make someone's magic run out?" Harry asked, curiously.

"This train of thought ends here," Sirius said, sharply. "I am not having you trying to figure out ways to kill people in new and previously not-really-thought-of ways! And another thing, I cannot believe you risked your life so carelessly for Remus and me back there, I mean you could have been seriously hurt, or even killed, or burned or anything like that, I mean, I don't mean to rant and rave but just think what could have happened if—"

Harry wasn't listening to his godfather as he began to rant and rave at the side of him. He was beginning to feel quite tired himself at the minute. It had been an odd conversation and would give him something new to mull over. It was strange, now that Voldemort had gone. Previously, the rest of the Order would have spent a very long time going over possible ways to drain Voldemort's magic once something like that had come up, but now, with him gone, it just seemed like all of their lives lacked purpose. Sometimes, Harry thought it might be more interesting if a new Dark Lord arose, just for something to fight. Maybe that was how Voldemort had started off, so long ago… Well, if he hadn't known that he had started as the rather-odd-to-begin-with Tom Riddle, he would have wondered.

"Sirius, leave him alone… he's drifting off again," Remus said quietly. It was true, Harry had slumped back into a dreamless sleep. Sirius stopped mid-sentence, which was good for all of them. Remus was getting sick of his ramblings anyway.

"Go get some sleep, would you?" Sirius said, turning to his old friend. "You look like you've not slept properly in ages."

"I've been worried, and it's not a proper sleep when you just fall unconscious from magical exhaustion," Remus sighed.

"I know, that's why, if you don't go to bed of your own accord, I'll shout Poppy over."

"I cannot believe I'm being told when to go to bed by someone my own age. I'm nearly forty for Merlin's sake!" Remus mumbled half heartedly as he wandered out of the Hospital Wing and away to his own bed in Grimmauld Place. Sirius stayed by Harry's bedside. He would be glad to talk to Harry about the Remus situation when he awoke, if he could get Harry to open up about such things, that was.

* * *

It was later at night when Harry opened his eyes again. A pang of disappointment filled him, when he realised that Remus was not next to him. Instead, Sirius was dozing in a chair, alone. Harry closed his eyes again, wishing that Remus would just turn up for no real reason, and that Sirius would find some kind of an excuse to wander off for a bit. Harry hated to admit it, but he just wanted to spend time with Remus at the moment. He sighed slightly, knowing that the feeling was most likely not returned.

And what if it was? All that had happened between he and Remus so far was a foolish and drunken night out, and Harry had since spent his time pressing himself against someone old enough to be his father. Someone who had been friends with his father. It wasn't right, not by many people's standards at least. And had Remus even shown any proper signs that he liked Harry as well, or was it all in his imagination, and Remus was too polite to push him away fully?

Harry didn't know what to think anymore, or what was going on. All he knew was that he was attracted to someone who should have been nothing more than a mentor and a father-figure to him. He should not have taken aforementioned man out for dinner and got him drunk. That was not really a wholly proper course of action.

It was strange that it had taken him so long to fully consider what he had been doing, but Harry had not had a lot of time to think to himself, what with attacks during innocent shopping trips and unfortunately attractive men living with him, and sharing meals with him… He had really hardly had time to think at all.

"Harry, are you awake?" Sirius asked. He was sure that he had seen signs of consciousness just a moment before, but the young man's eyes were still shut, and he did not appear to be really awake.

"What is it, Sirius?" Harry yawned.

"Nothing, I just wondered if you were awake." Harry opened his eyes again and glared at Sirius. Sometimes, he was unbelievable. He felt sorry for whomever ended up sharing a bed with him eventually. He was sure that they would be subjected to periodic wakings up for no real reason other than to see if they were really sleeping.

"Where's Remus gone?"

"I sent him to bed. He was way too tired. If I hadn't have sent him, I think he'd just have curled up on one of the hospital beds or something and woken up with Poppy yelling," Sirius grinned. Harry wondered if such a thing had happened before, but refrained from asking; every time he bothered to ask Sirius about something along those lines, he seemed to find himself being told some kind of mad Marauderish tale not really related to whatever it was that they were talking about in the first place. No, he had enough experience of Sirius not to bother asking him again about what things had transpired in the past.

"That's just not true now, is it Sirius?" a voice said from the doorway. Remus hobbled into sight and Harry felt his heart flutter a bit more madly than it had done before. With Remus coming across him so unawares, he felt colour rushing to his face for no reason that he could easily explain away. "Why would I just fall asleep on one of the beds?"

"Sounds like the kind of thing you'd do, anyway, what have you done to your leg?" Sirius asked. "You weren't limping when you left."

Remus went quiet and mumbled something about falling asleep whilst Apparating home, which had Sirius barking with laughter rather too loudly.

Remus looked away from Sirius, shaking his head and allowed his eyes to fix on Harry for the moment. He smiled and felt more cheerful than before, just seeing Harry awake and smiling back at him.

"Uh, hello?"

Sirius stared between Harry and Remus, who were both just looking at each other rather absentmindedly. Something was definitely going on between the two of them, but it was mostly a matter of whether or not the two of them seemed to realise it.

Sirius knew that if Harry was going out with someone, there was no way that he'd be able to keep it quiet for long. After all, it was Harry they were talking about. He was never good at keeping secrets from the people he cared about, especially if everyone had been talking about it, as they had been with him and Remus. No, Harry and Remus probably didn't realise that they were so irrevocably attracted to each other. Perhaps it was to be left to Sirius to get them together.

Harry and Remus blushed and dropped their gaze from the other, realising that they had been staring for what could only have been an inappropriately lengthy amount of time. They both turned to Sirius to see what he had made of their staring contest, but found that he was grinning to himself and staring into space.

"Chasing cats in your head again, Padfoot?" Remus smiled and sat down next to Sirius on the bed next to Harry's.

"Shut up, idiot," Sirius said, throwing a pillow at his head, and missing. Naturally. "Anyway, we've still the problem of the disobedient and life-risking Mr Potter to attend to, haven't we?"

"Ah yes, I forgot all about that." Remus stared at Harry, displeasure evident in his features, for once. "What the hell were you thinking, risking your life for us like that in Hogsmeade, I mean… _just what were you thinking_?!"

Harry sighed and curled back up under the duvet, with Remus still raving as Sirius had done earlier and Sirius laughing loudly.

"Mr Black!" That could only be Poppy. "What in Merlin's name are you doing in here laughing so loudly, disturbing my patients! I will have you bound and gagged if you do not shut up!"

"Poppy! I'm surprised at you!" Sirius laughed. "I didn't think you were into that kind of thing!"

"OUT!"

"See you in the morning, Har!" Sirius laughed and ran off out of the Hospital Wing, with Madam Pomfrey right behind him.

Remus smiled and watched Harry, who stared right back at him. He cleared his throat and rose to leave. "I suppose I'd better leave you to your rest, or Poppy will be back for me before long." He smiled.

He turned back to Harry, just as he rose to leave, and kissed Harry on the forehead. Remus froze afterwards, their faces still only a couple of inches apart. Harry leant up, just as Remus leant down, and their lips pressed together perfectly. They were silent for a few moments, lost in each other, and then Remus pulled away.

"I-I'd better go," he stammered.

"Are you sure?" Harry asked. Remus lingered for a moment, and then came back to himself. He had just kissed Harry again. Whilst sober. Properly kissed Harry. In a in-no-way-can-this-be-considered-platonic sort of manner. He had to get away from this man, before it was too late. God knows what he'd end up doing, if left to his own devices.

"I think that's exactly the kind of thing that's likely to have me chased out of the Hospital Wing, don't you?" he smiled, and Harry mirrored it back. "I'll see you later, Harry."

And with that, the man left, turning only to wave slightly as he walked through the door. Leaving Harry to fall back into his pillows, his hands over his eyes. He had just been kissing Remus, again. 'Don't tell me that's not a sign he's interested,' Harry thought to himself. Whilst Remus almost ran out of the school and back to Grimmauld Place. He needed a cold shower. A cold, unforgiving shower. As unforgiving as Sirius was certainly going to be.


	10. Snitch

A/N: It's a little short, but it felt like a good break before I went on to write some more. I know it's been forever, but I will try to finish this off before I start off on anything else.

* * *

Chapter Ten

He couldn't understand what he'd been thinking, allowing himself to get so close to him in the first place. Remus closed his eyes, letting the water stream across him, cleansing him. Except that he would never be truly clean, and he knew it. The darkness that resided within him wasn't something that could easily be ignored, and the fact that it was making him want something he could never realistically have wasn't helping matters much. Leaning his head against the tiles, he let out a deep breath that he hadn't been aware he'd been holding. When he'd begun the process of opening up and letting himself become close to Harry, Remus hasn't really considered how much he'd really been repressing. It was beginning to be come apparent that it was more than he'd originally thought.

He turned off the shower, and dried and clothed himself with one swift wave of his wand. It did not do to dwell on thoughts of what would never happen between him and Harry. The aforementioned young man was downstairs, sullenly eating breakfast, unable to understand why he wasn't allowed to help the Order with their work. Remus didn't want to be the one to tell him that it was because they were all too worried about him, that they all cared just a little too much. No, Harry probably wouldn't enjoy that explanation.

"What are you guys doing today then?" Harry asked Remus when he sat down to breakfast.

"Just going shopping for a few things, aren't we, Sirius?"

"We certainly are, my darling!" Sirius said brightly. "You fancy it, kiddo?"

Harry pulled a face. "No thanks, I think I'm going to stay in and remain nice and _safe,_" Harry said, with a peculiar note of bitterness in his voice. Remus realised that someone had bravely told Harry the real reason he wasn't allowed to take part in any of the Order's activities. He suspected it had probably been Molly.

"We'll bring you back something nice," Remus offered, his smile slightly hesitant.

"Something nice and _safe_," Sirius teased.

Harry's faint scowl was replaced by a slight smile, and then by weary resignation. He was becoming used to this, used to those he loved being too extreme in trying to keep him safe when they all risked their lives on a regular basis. Yet he'd faced Voldemort more than any of them ever had, and Dumbledore had been the one to tell him about the prophecy, knew he'd be facing danger sooner or later.

A light hand rested on Harry's shoulder, pulling him out of his darkening thoughts. He looked up into Remus' worried gaze.

Before he could say anything, Harry cut him off. "Enjoy your shopping," he said, smiling slightly.

"You know you're welcome to come with us, don't you? We can even indulge in some dangerous activities on Knockturn Alley if you want," Sirius grinned brightly, offering Harry the tin of Floo powder on the mantelpiece.

"Bring me back something nice." Harry's smile was more genuine this time, and his expression was mirrored by the men in the room with him before they disappeared through the fireplace.

Harry had been rather tempted by their offer of shopping but decided against it. He didn't know when they'd both be out at the same time again, and Tonks was in the house. Over the last few days, her attitude towards him had lessened to dislike, and Harry was determined not to lose his friendship with her over whatever was going on between him and Remus. Once Sirius and Remus had vanished into the flames, he set off through the house to try and find her.

Tonks was lying across one of the sofas in the lounge, when Harry found her. She offered a weak smile but said nothing when he approached.

"Listen Tonks," Harry began nervously, not really knowing what to say to make things right again between them. "I don't want us not to be friends. I mean we've been through so much together and –" he swallowed, hoping he was making at least a little bit of sense.

"Harry, stop talking," she said quietly, sitting up to face him. She could see the worry on his face, and she realised suddenly that it was their friendship that he was fretting over. She wasn't about to throw all that away, even if it meant seeing the man she loved walk away with Harry with a smile on her face. "I think I know what you're going to say, and you don't need to continue. I can be happy for you and Remus if that's what it takes for us to be friends." She took a deep breath and smiled brightly at him.

Tonks instantly found herself with an armful of Harry Potter, and she laughed at his joy. The door behind them opened suddenly.

"Playing the field, eh, young Harry," said George, walking confidently into the room.

"Shut up, idiot."

"Now, now, that's not the way to speak to someone carrying such an interesting bag of tricks," Fred grinned, opening a small pouch, and instantly, several different packages fell out onto the table.

"What's going on here?" Kingsley asked, stepping in from the hallway and looking down at the parcels in front of him with suspicion.

"Welcome to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes Testing Centre," Fred grinned, a little evilly. "Today we're testing responses to products already in production. Help yourself to our line of Polyjuice Pastries!"

Tonks reached out and grabbed one, and popped it into her mouth. There was a strange fizzing noise and suddenly Severus Snape was sitting amongst them.

"Oh my god," Tonks laughed and then she gasped, "I sound like the bat, too!"

"My turn," Harry said, grabbing one. Instantly Harry vanished, only to be replaced by a mystified Sibyll Trelawney. "My dear!" he said, grabbing Tonks' Snape-ified hand, "I fear you have little time left amongst the living!" There was a round of laughter.

"For the minute these are all Hogwarts based, since they're our main market," George explained, and passed one to Kingsley. A burst of phoenix song erupted, and then there were two Harry Potters in the room.

"Hey!" Harry said hotly, "I don't remember you asking permission to do that!"

Fred laughed. "And you think we got permission from Snape?"

"Point taken," Harry conceded. He doubted there was a way to get out of this, and he noticed that Kingsley didn't have his scar. The changes weren't exact evidently.

"These are amazing," Tonks said, and everyone gaped at Snape giving a compliment, and another round of laughter filled the room.

"Yeah, well just wait for what we're bringing round tomorrow," George grinned, "you're going to love them!"

"How long do these last?" Kingsley asked, suddenly wary.

"Relax," Fred assured him, "they last exactly half an hour, so I should just enjoy your time as the Boy Who Lived!"

"Let's have a game of Quidditch then," Harry grinned, "and we'll see if you can beat me on a broom!"

Ten minutes later, the five of them had all piled outside on brooms, joined by the real Snape, who was not impressed to see a duplicate of himself walking around, Minerva, Bill and Charlie.

"Come on, Potter, you useless imbecile!" Snape was shouting from where he flew around the goal posts. "Find it so we can get out of here!"

Bill sped towards him, Quaffle in hand, and Severus forgot all about watching Potter.

Thirty feet below them, Sirius and Remus had arrived back from their shopping trip. Sirius glanced at his companion, who was staring up at the figures flying around above them. Sirius smiled at the sight of his godson soaring around, finally free, at least for a while, from all that burdened him. Sirius moved as if to go back inside the house but Remus didn't move from where he was standing.

"Earth to Moony!" he said, waving his hand in front of Remus' eyes. Remus blinked, and turned to him, not even realising he'd been caught staring up at Harry.

"Oh, sorry, Sirius," Remus smiled apologetically.

"I never knew you were so interested in Harry," Sirius grinned, and Remus blushed furiously.

"Sirius! I don't… I-I… you!"

Sirius laughed, the sound reverberating around the small garden, "Relax Moony, you never could take a joke!"

A moment later, Harry went into a spectacular dive and everyone in the garden held their breath. With a triumphant grin on his face, Harry jumped off his broom, landing in front of Sirius and Remus.

"Enjoy your shopping?" he asked. Remus could only stare at the young man in front of him, while Sirius chattered away in the background.

Everyone landed a few minutes later, and walked back into the house, Remus listening all the while to Harry. He smiled slightly when Harry's hand took his own, and he felt oddly fluttery. He found, when Harry pulled away, that the young man had pressed the Snitch from the game into his hand. Remus smiled slightly when he realised this but the fluttering wasn't coming from the tiny wings that beat against his fingers.


	11. Infused

Chapter Eleven

The next morning, the house was once again full of chattering voices and by the time Harry made it to the kitchen, the table was already full, and much of the food had vanished.

"Here you go, Harry, dear," Molly said, walking swiftly around the table with a plate already full of food. "I've saved you some breakfast."

Harry smiled gratefully and started to tuck in rapidly. Around him, conversation continued and it was only when nearly all his food had gone that he finally looked up to see Remus watching him. There was a slight smile on his lips.

"Do you think you could have eaten that a little faster?" he asked.

"Probably," Harry replied, a light smile crossing his features before eating the rest of his breakfast in a few seconds. Remus' jaw dropped slightly, amazement crossing his features.

"I'll never understand how you do that," Remus told him, his own breakfast forgotten. He pushed it aside with an elegant wave of his hand. "Anyway, what are your plans for the day?"

"Well yesterday Fred and George –"

He was cut off suddenly by the scraping of chairs and a hush fell over the kitchen when Harry stopped speaking.

"Ah, thank you for reminding us, Harry!" Fred said jovially, clearing the table with a wave of his wand.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen," George said, taking over, "we come before you today with an idea—"

"Nay, a vision!"

"A vision of wonder!"

"A vision of pure—"

"Will you two imbeciles just shut up and get on with it," Severus snapped at them.

Like the day before, Fred emptied out a previously unseen bag onto the table, and a dozen or so pastries tumbled out, one in front of each person.

"What are these?" Arthur asked his son, turning one between his fingers.

"Pure perfection!" George exclaimed enthusiastically. The rest of the group continued to stare at him expectantly. "Well, you remember the Polyjuice Pastries I was showing you yesterday?" he asked, turning to Harry, Tonks and Kingsley. "Well, these are a great improvement on those. These will blow your mind away!"

The group listened in amazement as the twins went on to explain that the new pastries would not only change them into someone else, but into whoever they wanted.

"So all you have to do is hold the images of who you want to become in your head whilst you swallow and then—"

"Tada, you're someone else!" the other continued.

Severus turned his pastry through his hands, assessing it thoroughly. Next to him, Harry could tell that he was wondering what was inside them, and how they worked. Opposite, Tonks was already unwrapping hers. They all held their pastries in front of them, and ate in unison.

"Oh my god, my stomach!" Tonks gasped, fingers clutching at herself. Beside her, Bill was also gripping his stomach, and Kingsley looked like he was about to be sick. Harry looked around at them all in confusion. He was the only one not in pain, the only one not clutching his stomach. And then he realised what was happening to them all, and his gasp went unnoticed amid their moans and cries of pain. Only Remus remained silent throughout it all.

A couple of minutes later, they all stopped and looked up at each other. For a moment, it was as if time stood still and they all stared. And then Sirius began to laugh hysterically, his voice sounding very different. His hands reached up and mapped his face, running over a nose that had never been broken, and a chin that had never really had the touch of stubble upon it. Seventeen year old Sirius Black laughed again, the sound reverberating around the room. It was contagious and soon everyone was laughing, their slightly higher teenage voices joking and conjuring mirrors for one another.

Harry smiled and laughed along with the rest, looking and feeling the same as before. A younger, more carefree Remus looked over at him and smiled brightly. The sandy hair glinting in the sunlight, and Harry found himself examining the previously older man's face.

If it was strange for Harry to stare across the table at a substantially younger Remus, it was nothing to how strange Remus found staring across at Harry. He flashed Harry a charming smile and got up from the table.

"Come on, Har," he said cheerily, leaving the room.

"Remus?" Harry asked, following Remus into the sitting room. "Are you okay?"

The man in front of him flashed him another heart-stopping smile. "I'm wonderful," he replied, and then looked away somewhat shyly. "I just wanted to have you to myself for a while."

Harry smile, imbuing the man with more confidence. "So what's it like then?"

"What's what like?"

Harry laughed. "Remus, are you daft? You've been turned into a teenager for an unknown length of time, and you're wondering what I'm talking about?"

Remus blushed faintly, and Harry took pity on him. He took a step towards Remus, closing some of the distance between them. Remus felt something inside him flutter when Harry rested a hand on his shoulder.

"So, Rem?"

"Oh," he said, his eyes widening slightly. "Well, it's weird, I guess." He smiled again. Harry noticed he'd done quite a lot of that when he'd been younger. "My emotions seem to be up and down already, and it's only been about ten minutes." He shrugged apologetically.

"You do seem more confident, though," Harry pointed out.

"That's a bit on and off too," Remus told him. "I felt really confident once I'd just eaten that pastry but since then, I feel a bit awkward and shy really."

"Wow, it's like you're a real teenager!" Harry grinned. "Hey, I wonder if you're younger than me now?"

"I hope not. That's pushing the boundaries of weird a bit too far for my liking, I think," Remus replied.

Before Harry had a chance to respond, the door burst open and a grinning Sirius waltzed in. A strange emotion crossed over Remus' face upon his entry, but then it had gone before Harry had chance to look more closely.

Remus was vaguely aware that Harry and Sirius were chattering on about something, but he wasn't paying attention. He couldn't take his mind off the young man standing next to him; the object of his affections. He found it far easier to admit his feelings to himself in this young body, and before he knew it, Remus discovered himself planning a conversation with himself in which he confessed his feelings to him. He frowned when he realised what he'd been thinking about, and then resolved to absolve all such thoughts of Harry from his mind henceforth.

When he actually started to pay attention to his surroundings, Remus realised that many of the house's occupants had joined them in the room.

"What's wrong, wolf?" a sneering voice asked to the side of him, "Forgotten where you are? The _boy_ you're dating is a bit distracting, I imagine."

Remus spun around, his eyes flashing dangerously, and for a moment Severus recoiled. Harry reached out and pulled him back before – before what? Remus didn't know what it was he would have done, all he knew was that his blood was pounding fiercely in his ears and he'd wanted to destroy Severus. Destroy him for speaking about Harry like that. And then suddenly he was staring into the eyes of the boy he'd been trying to protect. Confusion and worry shimmered there for a moment, and Remus didn't think he could take looking at them for any longer.

There was a strange pause in the room, and then Harry said something and Sirius laughed brightly. Remus wasn't really paying attention to what was going on around him, and found himself with Tonks chattering to him rapidly, and Harry had moved away with Sirius. He moved away from her and took up a book he'd been reading a couple of days before, only to find that it wasn't nearly so interesting as he was sure it had been before. Remus looked around, his eyes searching for Harry, finding him chattering animatedly to Sirius, who was sitting in one of the comfier chairs.

"Afraid that he's stealing your young lover from you, wolf?" Snape sneered from next to him and Remus saw cruel amusement in his eyes. He glanced over at Harry and watched as Sirius pulled him into his lap. He was overwhelmed with a feeling of nausea and threw his book down onto the coffee table; he had long since stopped pretending to read it. His thoughts briefly wandered to Harry and whether he would even notice he'd gone, let alone care as he stormed from the room. Snape would be laughing at him, Remus was certain of that if nothing else.

He almost flew up the stairs and, had he been paying attention to his surroundings, he would have known that his accidental magic had become out of control: levitating him up the stairs, setting a nearby tapestry alight and locking his door. Remus never touched his wand once. Within moments of entering the room he had kicked off his shoes and had thrown himself face down onto his bed, face buried in the pillow. A crack from behind him some moments later made him jump and Remus knew without turning around that Harry was there. Harry had followed him when he had been so upset and the slightest of smiles touched his lips. He felt foolish now; he had allowed himself to become so upset over nothing and Harry had come after him anyway. Perhaps it was worth it just for that.

"Remus?" It was Harry and Remus felt a fluttering sensation in his stomach that he hadn't felt in a very long time. Hormones had flooded his body and he blamed the Weasley twins for this; he was thinking like some kind of love-struck teenager. Remus bit his lip as Harry moved over to him and didn't turn to look at the young man who approached. Suddenly he didn't want Harry to know how stupid he'd been. He was a grown man! He was twenty years older than Harry! What was he thinking?! There were so many reasons that he should just bury his feelings and Harry would never know.

"Are you okay?" Harry had spoken again and this time Remus turned to look at him. Reason suddenly melted away. "What's going on with you, Rem?"

Remus bit his lip again, aware that Harry had moved closer to him. Suddenly he was pleading that Harry wouldn't touch him. He didn't know how much control he had at that moment and he was definitely going to do something stupid unless he was stopped. It was like the reversal of the way things had begun between them so long ago. He realised that he had yet to speak a word to Harry. His mouth opened and shut again once or twice which only caused Harry's eyebrow to raise questioningly.

"I just..." Remus began and stared at Harry as he shifted so he was sitting beside him on the bed. He was kind enough and warm hearted but he couldn't read Remus' mind and put his thoughts into words which was ideally what he needed right then. Remus was losing it... he was going to do something stupid. Really stupid and irreversible. Harry pressed his hand over his own which lay still on the bed and Remus stared across at Harry's lips.

Harry had absolutely no idea what was going on here. Remus was behaving ridiculously, or so he thought. He had fled the room for no reason, although he had seen a particularly nasty smirk present on Snape's face just before he had apparated up to Remus, giving him chance to get to his room of course. He just wasn't talking at all, and that certainly wasn't like Remus. He seemed to be excellent at communication and had amazing people skills, yet Remus was tongue-tied and appeared unable to hold eye-contact with Harry.

"You just...?" Harry prompted and moved a little closer. They were facing now and Remus was clearly worried about something. It was odd staring at the man who had been in his late thirties only hours before. He was Harry's age now and in the back of Harry's mind there was some satisfaction with that fact.

Harry had no idea where it came from but one moment he was sat, staring into Remus's eyes and the next he was pinned to the bed, Remus's mouth desperately ravishing his own. This was an interesting development. Harry should be stopping this; Remus clearly wasn't capable of thinking properly and rationally in his new, hormone-infused teenage body so he should be the adult here... Except he didn't want to be the adult. He was having quite enough fun as it was.

'Oh my god... you have to stop!' Remus's mind screamed at him as his hands roved Harry's body. Remus's hands had let go of Harry's wrists as soon as he knew he wasn't going to be pushed off and onto the floor and were enjoying every inch of skin they found, wandering up Harry's chest under his shirt. Stopping was not an option now, his mind was too far gone and he was too delirious... Harry's skin, Harry's body, Harry's mouth... His. It was all his and Remus could make it so. He would make it so. No one other than him would touch Harry again.

His moan was lost in Harry's mouth and he pressed down against him, seeking more contact. At the same time he could feel Harry pushing up against him. This was all way too much and Remus was suddenly very warm indeed.

'Hello... Kissing Remus here!' some dim part of Harry's mind was screaming as his tongue continued to duel. It was becoming difficult to breathe however and he knew that he had to pull away. His head slipped to the side and he gasped for air and heard Remus do so next to him. His eyes remained closed and his lips were cruelly brushing against Remus'.

"Oh my god..." Remus murmured softly. His eyes opened slowly and saw Harry looking... beautiful. His soft lips were swollen from HIS kisses and the amazing eyes Remus knew he possessed were hidden behind eyelids which fluttered open at his words. Remus pulled away, afraid of what could happen if he didn't but Harry wrapped an arm round his waist and Remus felt his breath catch in his throat.

"Just stopping you from running," Harry explained. Remus felt something sink inside him; he wanted it to be more than that. He wanted Harry to hold onto him because Harry wanted to do that, because he needed to. Remus pressed against Harry, tucking his head under his chin as he lay on his chest. He had been running his hands over it moments before and it was tempting... very tempting. That was just Harry all over though, irresistible to the last. Remus felt something stir in him at that and he tilted his lips up to Harry's. Harry moved slightly and they brushed together softly, gently; it was a tantalising taste of what could be. All Remus knew was that he wanted this and he was damned if he was going to be stopped from having Harry as his own.

"I'm not going anywhere," Remus breathed as he stared down at a rather startled Harry and pressed their lips together again. This time Harry tried to struggle but his attempt to escape soon faltered as Remus ran his hands lower and lower...

"Rem ... I ...." he managed to choke out before he gasped and Remus grinned, his eyes lighting up. He felt Harry arch under his touch and covered Harry's mouth with his own as he moaned. He could get used to this, Remus decided as his tongue slipped into Harry's mouth again. Harry's fingers tangled in his hair and Remus felt younger than he had in a very long time, of course some of that could be due to the fact that he was in a body twenty years younger than it ought to have been. "God ... no! We have to stop," Harry gasped and pulled back.

"Angel..." Remus pouted and bent down to capture Harry's lips with his own. Harry moved up as if to kiss him and slipped past him so he was sat up. Remus looked at him in confusion and then indignation as he was pushed down to the bed.

"Sorry, Beautiful, but you left me no choice," Harry grinned.

'He thinks I'm beautiful...?' Remus couldn't help but smile shyly in return. What the hell had got into him?! He was NOT a teenager. He was NOT Harry's age. He could NOT date him. He should certainly not have been kissing him and running his hands... well, everywhere. "I'm sorry, Harry... God, I..."

"I should be the one who's sorry," Harry interrupted before Remus could go into self depreciation mode. "I should have stopped you... You couldn't help it."

"I could have stopped it... I SHOULD have stopped it," Remus muttered as he felt Harry lay down on his chest. He knew that his heart certainly shouldn't have been fluttering the way it was.

"Could you hell have stopped it, Remy," Harry laughed and looked up into the werewolf's indignant eyes. "Oh right... so you were perfectly normal? Not under the influence of a sudden flood of hormones at all?"

Remus didn't answer but smiled slightly. Harry was fine - he wasn't angry with him for losing control and kissing him senseless. Twice. Well, okay, admittedly it had been a little more than kissing. More like groping towards the end but that was entirely irrelevant. The point was that Harry was fine. Fine with the whole thing. And willing to do it again, no doubt... Remus's eyes widened. He really wasn't all right - his thoughts were getting way out of hand and if he didn't get away from Harry soon who knew what could happen.

"If you were perfectly normal I suppose I OUGHT to be slightly worried that the next time I see you, my age or not, you might end up pinning me to the bed," Harry continued sounding rather nonchalant and offhand. Remus laughed and found himself staring down at Harry who was lain against his chest. His lips were beginning to look awfully tempting... Maybe if he just leant down and... Merlin! What was with him?!

Remus pulled away from Harry who remained sprawled on his bed, but with a slight pout on his lips. Making them look even more kissable, Remus thought before wanting to beat his head quite severely on the wall. Remus got to his feet and surveyed himself in the mirror - there was no way in hell he could go down for dinner looking as dishevelled as he did.

"I'm going to go shower before dinner, go make yourself useful somewhere," Remus told him.

"Sure... I'm sure Snape could do with some love, or I could come with you instead?" Harry grinned.

"Mmmm... that would be nice," Remus said and then froze. 'Did I say that outloud?! My god!'

Harry laughed and gave him a quick hug before wandering off down the corridor leaving Remus watching him walk away. Once Harry was out of sight, he turned and went in search of a shower, all the time wondering whether he really would kiss Snape. That thought was usually quickly followed by frustrated thoughts pertaining to when he'd get his own body back. He could only hope it was sometime soon or Merlin only knew what next time would bring...


End file.
